SOCU raids ‘Big Head’ properties

Dec 25, 2018 News

Investigators probing money laundering allegations against extradited businessman, Shervington ‘Big Head’ Lovell, have started raiding his properties.

Extradited to US: Shervington ‘Big Head’ Lovell

In the last few days, two hotels, including Tower Hotel, on Main Street, Georgetown, and another one in New Amsterdam, linked to the embattled businessman, were raided.
Investigators of the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) reportedly seized both digital and paper documents.
It will be recalled that it was only recently that SOCU officials seized jewellery and other documents from a safe deposit box at a city bank.
The raids are all part of a local effort by authorities to take control of Lovell’s properties, as forfeiture proceedings without restraint begin against him.
Lovell, part-owner of Tower Suites hotel on Main Street, was busted in Jamaica weeks ago in a sting operation, for alleged drug trafficking conspiracy. He and two accused men, a Venezuelan and a Surinamese, were extradited to the US from Jamaica, late last month, according to a source of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU).
While Lovell is there, the process of going after properties here will not stop.
SOCU’s head, Assistant Police Commissioner, Sydney James, had confirmed that the proceedings have started in a number of cases, including against Lovell.
Sources indicate that Lovell may have owned or controlled over 30 properties alone in the city.
Part of SOCU’s challenge is to pinpoint those properties. Many of them are locked up.
One home raided yesterday is in Meadowbrook Gardens
Under anti-money laundering laws, authorities can seize properties that they believe were acquired from ill-gotten gains.

The Meadowbrook, Georgetown property belonging to Lovell, which was raided yesterday

With regards to Lovell, US court documents named him and five other persons, jointly and singly, of cocaine trafficking conspiracy in a place outside the US (Jamaica).
US prosecutors also filed firearm and maritime violations charges.
Significantly, the US is also going after assets, which they believe were linked to the conspiracy.
These include a Gulfstream jet, cash, vehicles and properties.

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