Four Jamaican cops arrested for blackmail

Four policemen were arrested for blackmail, Jamaican anti-corruption authorities said Tuesday.

The four policemen, who were taken into custody on Monday, are scheduled to face an identification parade later this week, according to the Major Organized Crime and Anti-corruption Agency (MOCA) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

They will be charged with the breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act and other offences, pending further investigations, the MOCA said.

Earlier this year, the four cops stopped a motorist on road whom they claimed suspected to be involved in "lotto scamming" and demanded an undetermined sum of money. A report was consequently filed to the police and a probe was launched.

The high crime rate is a chronical problem in Jamaica while corruption within the police force is considered a major reason. Some 109 Jamaicans were arrested for corruption in 2013, of which 65 were from the police force.