Over 800 lives claimed by ruthless Klansman - Police make shocking claim about vicious gang

More than 800 people have been killed by members of the Klansman gang, one of the most potent criminal organisations on the island, the police said in a bombshell revelation on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of crime, Fitz Bailey, described the Spanish Town-based gang as "vicious" during a press conference.

"Our investigations have linked the Klansman Gang to at least 800 murders since 2014," Bailey said.

Some 31 alleged members of the gang are now in police custody following intense and targeted operations over the last nine months. On Thursday, the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch (C-TOC) conducted operations in sections of St Catherine during which several persons were arrested.

Bailey said that the operations targeted the faction of the Klansman Gang that is led by the incarcerated leader, Tesha Miller. He said that many of those arrested will face charges such as murder and shooting, under the anti-gang law.

Headquartered in Spanish Town, the Klansman Gang is listed among the top five most vicious criminal organisations by the police. Earlier this year, 15 members of the One Don Gang, faction of the gang, which is led by Andre 'Blackman' Bryan, were convicted under the anti-gang law.

Bryan has been sentenced to 39 years and six months in prison. In that trial, 33 defendants were hauled before the court, 17 were freed and one was killed.

Meanwhile, Bailey said that the police's anti-gang strategy has been bearing fruit, and underscored the force's determination to weed out these criminal organisations. He said that in 2008, gangs accounted for 80 per cent of the murders in Jamaica. The portion of gang-related killings has now dropped to 67 per cent.

"We will continue this effort and step by step we will ensure that Jamaica is safer as we bring it to the gangs," Bailey said.