Husband and wife sought by US authorities held in pre-dawn St James raid

Residents of a St James community were jolted awake in the early hours of Wednesday after police mounted a high-level sweep that ended with the capture of a husband and wife sought by United States authorities on fraud allegations.

The two have been identified as Nicki Gibbs, a 31-year-old nurse technician from the Bronx in New York, and her husband Swayne Barker, also known as 'Black Boss', of Red Dirt, Flankers. Both were apprehended during a tightly coordinated pre-dawn operation.

According to investigators, the action unfolded between 4:00 a.m. and 5:47 a.m. on April 22, when officers from the Anti-Lottery Scam Unit (ALSU), the Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team, and the St James Operational Support Team moved into Red Dirt and took the couple into custody.

Police say both face fraud-related charges in the United States and are now being processed for extradition.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Horace Forbes, who heads the Fraud Squad and Financial Crimes Investigation Division, said the operation reflects the strength of Jamaica's working relationship with overseas agencies.

"These arrests are the culmination of ongoing collaboration between the Jamaica Constabulary Force and its international partners to track and apprehend fugitives seeking refuge within Jamaican borders. Jamaica will never be a sanctuary for criminal activities," Forbes stated.

The investigation remains active.