Two cross-dressers strike a pose for the camera after they were detained by the police in raid. - file 

Western Bureau:

At least two of the over 70 cross-dressers detained in Saturday morning's raid on a nightclub on the St Ann/Trelawny border might not be able to return to their inner-city homes in Montego Bay.

During the raid, which was carried out by the Leon Clunis-led Lottery Scam Task Force, 130 persons were taken into custody. It turned out that while the vast majority of them were clad in women's apparel, only 11 were females.

"Dem caa come back yah, yuh mad? Come back weh? an obviously angry thug from one of the inner-city communities in Montego Bay told The Star. "This is not an aquarium. This is a proud ghetto community."

According to the thug, while he hardly knew one of the men, he and other residents were taken by complete surprise when they saw the better known of the two in a video footage shown on television.

"We always si him a neat up himself and a gwaan 'stush' but me use to think him just boasy," the thug told The Star. "Me neva know a dem thing deh him a gwaan with."

Tough Laugh* a thug from another inner-city area told THE STAR that he had heard that a member of his community was among the cross-dressers.

"Yow, mi a hear seh di bwoy in a it. Mi get it from good source seh him did deh deh a try hide. Mi waan si him back bout yah. Yuh know wha, 'im better tan weh him deh, cause dem bwoy deh caan come roun' mi, mi ooman or pickney," Tough Laugh said.

Another thug from central Montego Bay said he also knew of individuals from his community who were held.

"Yuh have one weh did always look like a pretty bwoy but we never too deh pree him. But, mi nuh think him can come round here again," he said.

When the police swooped down on the scammers, the police said they thought it was females having a good time.

"When we entered the club, we thought most of the patrons were females but it turned out that only 11 were females, most of them were males dressed as females," Superintendent Clunis told The Star.

hide their faces

While the men were being processed at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium, many desperately tried to hide their faces from the cameras.

"A wha unoo a tek we picture fah". A kill unoo want people kill we?" one angry 'cross-dresser' screamed at The Star's cameraman. "Some a unoo have b ... man inna unoo family. "A wha unoo a gwaan suh fah?"

However, while one of the irate men threatened to throw a bottle at one of the cameramen, others, including an individual said to be the son of a popular dancehall deejay, seemed totally unperturbed by early morning attention.

"Weh me come from everybody know that I am gay," he said, striking a nonchalant pose. "Unoo can tek as much picture as unoo want."

Hold on deh, mek me give unoo some real good %&$#@ pose."

During the raid, the police seized drugs, machetes, knives, one imitation firearm, several cellular phones, four laptops and 11 vehicles.

It is suspected that in addition to its nightlife activities, the club, which is located in a secluded area, was also being used for lotto scamming activities.

Among the men detained were popular Montego Bay personality Kenrick 'Bebe' Stephenson, who the police said was wanted for absconding bail, and another man, of a Kingston address, who was wanted for housebreaking and larceny.