MONTEGO BAY, St James - The St James police are offering rewards totalling $800,000 for information leading to the capture of the parish's eight most wanted men, whose names they released yesterday.

"We are offering rewards of $100,000 each for any assistance that leads to the arrest of these men," said Police Superintendent Steve McGregor, commanding officer for St James.

McGregor, who was speaking at a press conference called for the purpose of releasing the list of the men who are wanted for several crimes including rape, murder, shooting and robbery, said the money was coming out of an initiative of the police high command.

The men are:

. Twenty-one-year-old Orlando 'Ollie' Richardson, who is wanted for murder and shooting and frequents Baulk District in Westmoreland, downtown Montego Bay and the Norwood community;

. Twenty-five-year-old Anthony 'Bolo' Christie, who is wanted for murder and shooting and frequents Cousins Cove in Hanover and the People's Arcade in Montego Bay;

. Twenty-eight-year-old Tadmar 'Kanti' White, who is wanted for murder and shooting and frequents Summer Hill in Maldon and Maroon Town in St James;

. Thirty-one-year-old Omar 'Yellow' Lamey, who is wanted for murder and frequents the communities of Lilliput and Barret Town;

. Twenty-six-year-old Andrew Franklin Cross, who is wanted for shooting a policeman and frequents the Norwood community and Downtown Montego Bay;

. Twenty-one-year-old Oneil 'Kelly' Brown, who is wanted for rape and frequents Gloucester Avenue and Doctor's Cave Bathing Club;

. Twenty-one-year-old Orlando 'Indian' Minto, an escapee charged for murder, shooting and robbery and who frequents the Westmoreland communities of Seafort Town, Lambs River, Bethel and Bethel Town; and

. Zetroy 'Bella' Jones of Tucker district, who escaped custody while being transported to the Montego Bay lockup and who is wanted for murder, shooting and robbery.

Meanwhile, yesterday McGregor said the Organised Crime Unit had come up with new strategies to crack down on the illegal and deadly lotto scam believed to be one of the main forces driving crime in this second city. He, however, did not elaborate.

"You will see some new strategies that will be rolled out soon," he said.