St. Lucia: A criminal gang called "Death Row"; its activities and membership; information on famous incidents and arrests
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 May 2004 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LCA42469.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, St. Lucia: A criminal gang called "Death Row"; its activities and membership; information on famous incidents and arrests, 18 May 2004, LCA42469.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/41501c2f0.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
In 8 May 2004 correspondence to the Research Directorate, a police constable for the Royal St. Lucia Police Force provided the following information: The constable indicated that he was personally acquainted with the Death Row Crew through his work as a detective. According to the constable, the gang was in existence between the late 1980s and the early 1990s and included a maximum of twenty members. Among their activities were drug peddling and crimes with the use of a firearm, such as robbery, aggravated assault, and rape (both against citizens of St. Lucia as well as against foreigners visiting the country). The constable stated that the Death Row Crew was in a state of "constant warfare" with smaller gangs, most notably the Border Line Crew (headquartered in southern Castries around Hospital Road and Faux-A-Chaux), and that as a result of inter-gang fighting, victims suffered serious injuries and even, occasionally, death. The constable also reported that in the mid-1990s, the Death Row Crew had been permanently disbanded because some members were imprisoned, while others had been killed or had left the territory. Additional information about whether the gang has since reformed could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Information corroborating that given by the police constable could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Reference
Police Constable, Criminal Records Office, Police Headquarters, Castries, St. Lucia. 8 May 2004. Correpondance.
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet Sites, including: Corrections.com, European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica Observer, Jamaica Star, National Criminal Justice Reference Service, The Star (St. Lucia), World News Connections (WNC)
