Taxi operators plying the Half-Way Tree to Price Rite route have been facing hell in the form of extortion.

They are forced to pay a total of $1,200 per day in 'taxes' to every lane along Red Hills Road.

STAR Investigations revealed that the men are sometimes beaten if they fail to pay over the money.

"To how the man dem dangerous, one all gimme a thump over mi eye and mi get six stitches inna it, just because mi nuh pay them extortion money," said one taxi operator. "We a work up deh but we a go through a hard state. Extortionists line out all a the road, dem up deh every day and waan money, every car haffi pay $200 and the bus dem haffi pay $400. You see because a every lane di man dem deh all six set a man we haffi a pay to."

The situation has got so bad that some operators are forced to stop working.

It rough pon we

"Mi a tell you man, it rough pon we. Mi haffi a mek less trip than mi used to. You see like when it touch the evening hours from 3 o' clock to bout 7 o'clock, a that time deh them unleash and show up," said another operator.

He added, "honestly, sometimes mi not even badda run nuh taxi. It stressing bad. You see how it stay out here, nuh man nuh waan run go Price Rite, people jus pack up out ya (Half-Way Tree)."

The operators added that they have no one to turn to as the police have refused to help. "The bwoy dem deh pon the bridge right now and the police dem nah do nothing. Some taxi man not even waan go Price Rite, the man dem a move ex," said a third operator. "A some a the taxi man them cause this cuz dem a pay the extortionist, so a dem a mek the situation worse."

Passengers have also witnessed the extortionists in action. "I am sick and tired of these men.

I live in Meadowbrook and the taxi man dem have to pay man a Park lane, 100 Lane and when them reach a Price Rite.

It unfair man

"It unfair man, and because a this me caan get nuh taxi a evening time... The man dem out deh every day and dem a collect all $200 three times a day," a passenger said.

Meanwhile, the police said they have been unable to act because the taxi operators condone the practice.

"We only hear rumours, the taxi men have not made any official report and we cannot charge these men without any formal complaint being made against them," said Detective Sergeant Harris Wilkie of the Constant Spring CIB. "If the taxi men c****ined their efforts and refused to pay the extortion fee, there would be no extortionists.

"Even if reports are made and these matters are taken to court, more often than not the complainants do not show up and the case is thrown out."

Detective Sergeant Wilkie said the taxi operators have to assist the police.

"This thing has been going on for a while and we can only be proactive and preventative by doing foot patrol. This is as much as we can do for the moment. We want the taxi men to know that it may seem like we are not assisting but we cannot take any one to court unless we have statements against them," he said.