KIRK Powell, 47 year-old club operator of Montego Bay, St James is now behind bars facing a charge of conspiracy to defraud.

Police say Powell is suspected of being one of the masterminds behind a major credit and debit card fraud ring. He was arrested and charged on
October 19 following the arrest and charge of Tarik Mercurius and Damion
Tomlinson in Mandeville in August for similar offences.

Detectives from the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), closed in on Powell after their investigations revealed that he was one
of the main players in a credit/debit card fraud ring which bilked
unsuspecting automated banking machine users of thousands of dollars.

Powell was spotted at a location in New Kingston and stopped and searched. Computer equipment used for skimming card information and also
the cloning of cards was found in his possession. A number of credit
cards in various stages of production were also found in his possession.

A laptop computer allegedly found in his possession was analysed by the Cybercrimes and Research Unit of OCID and over 50 card cardholders’
information belonging to both local and international cardholders were
found.

Powell is the fourth key player in the credit and debit card racket to be arrested in recent months following investigations carried out by
OCID detectives.