MOCA and ACB Merged

National Security Minister, Hon. Peter Bunting, has announced the merger of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption (MOCA) Task Force and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The merger, which became effective on Sunday, August 3, is “an interim step in a longer term plan to create a national law enforcement agency”, Minister Bunting said at a press conference held at the Police Officers’ Club in St. Andrew.

The new body will be called the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency, maintaining the now familiar MOCA acronym.

It will be headed by Colonel D.T. Edwards of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), who is being seconded to oversee and coordinate the merger.

Minister Bunting said that there have been considerable overlaps in the mandates of ACB and the MOCA, and “in a country with scare resources, you have to prioritise those resources, and spreading them across multiple units is not an effective way to do it. It’s better to combine the resources in one strong, capable, competent investigative unit.”

He said that the merger reflects the outstanding relationship of confidence, trust and mutual respect that exist between MOCA and ACB. “The two organisations have demonstrated their competence, and I believe pooling their collective talents in a single more capable agency, can only improve performance,” he stated.

MOCA targets and brings to justice, the kingpins of the criminal networks. The focus of the new agency has been expanded to include the facilitators of crime, including corrupt police officers, lawyers, bankers and family members, who knowingly accommodate or provide support to criminals and corrupt officials.

Minister Bunting said the new unit will give the authorities greater reach and increased capacity to investigate, which will, in turn, “produce an enhanced capability to prosecute criminals”.

Meanwhile, he explained that the new agency, although primarily JCF/JDF led, will have the capacity to conduct independent investigations and report to the National Security Council on matters of policy and performance.

The agency will also work with other government units, particularly the Financial Investigations Division (Ministry of Finance and Planning), the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), the Revenue Protection Division, the Registrar General’s Department, and Jamaica Customs.

A steering committee led by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Major General Stewart Saunders, and involving officers of the JCF and the JDF, will oversee the policy implementation of the agency.

“As we put this agency in place, I appeal to all members of the public to assist in the fight against corruption and organized crime,” the Minister urged. He implored persons to give information without fear, as the country’s crime problem requires collective support and active involvement.