The police said they received information that a number of thugs from sections of Waterford in St Catherine went into hiding when popular deejay Vybz Kartel was detained.

Kartel was released on Friday after spending two weeks in custody after turning himself in to Greater Port-more police.

Police sources said they are aware that men fled the community after Kartel was detained.

Investigations by THE STAR have found that those missing in action are from various sections of the community and not only include those linked to the Gaza section.

The police did not say if the deejay had identified anyone but it was said that some of them were persons of interest.

"We are not sure how many of these men have fled the community but we will be redoubling our efforts to get these men," Deputy Super-intendent Clive Blair, head of Operations for the St Catherine South police told THE STAR.

Residents said a number of men who could be seen in the community on a daily basis are now nowhere to be found. The residents explained that after a number of the men were contacted, they cited the fear of being identified to the police.

absence

A resident who also claims to frequent a section of Waterford known as 'Gaza' where Vybz Kartel is known to hang out, said he is aware of at least one thug from there who fled the community days after the deejay turned himself over to the police.

Residents of 'Third World' another section of the community, said they too have noticed the absence of a number of men in recent days.

"A real ting man when dem hold di deejay some a di man dem tek weh demself ...,"one resident said.

Sometime ago men from sections of Third World were at odds with their Gaza counterparts.

In the midst of the exodus of the thugs, the residents are praising the efforts of the police and urging them to continue.

"Yea man more a this need fi gwaan cause Waterford was a nice scheme one time ...," one female resident of 'Boston' said while others around her voiced their agreement.

In July 2007, the now deceased Michael Augustus Lynch, otherwise called 'Mikey Pelpa', and Vybz Kartel participated in a peace march in Waterford.

This was to signify that the Gaza family and Mikey Pelpa's 'Lynch Mob' were no longer at odds following reports of a deadly feud.