The Shower Posse

Introduction

Legal authorities have spent years trying to dismantle Jamaica's Shower Posse.

A documentary [9 mins]

It's one of the world's most violent criminal gangs and controls an international weapons and drug-smuggling ring with tentacles reaching into Europe and North America.

There have been efforts around the world, including here in Canada, to disrupt the gang. But are we any safer now?

Explore our interactive to learn more.

Jamaica

Shower Posse — like many other gangs in Jamaica — played a unique role in society, often serving as unofficial community leaders ruling barricaded neighbourhoods guarded by gunmen.

Governments often tacitly accept the presence of gangs or even benefit from it.

Lester Lloyd Coke

Lester Lloyd Coke is widely believed to be the founder of the Shower Posse, though some dispute the claim.

Coke reportedly consolidated his power in the 1980s after killing off rival gangs.

Coke, also known as Jim Brown, acted as an enforcer for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, murdering seven members who defected to the opposition party.

However, in 1990, after the opposition party took power, the government ceded to American demands to arrest Coke. Two years later, Coke died in a mysterious prison fire while awaiting extradition to the U.S.

Michael Christopher Coke

After Lester Coke died, his son, Christopher "Dudus" Coke, took over the gang.

Jamaican media described him as a "godfather" to Tivoli Gardens, the gang's base. For years, Coke enjoyed protection from the ruling Jamaica Labour Party.

However, under growing pressure from the U.S., then prime minister Bruce Golding ordered Coke's arrest in May of 2010. Seventy-three people died in an operation to find Coke in the blockaded neighbourhood. A state of emergency was declared and Jamaica underwent the largest mobilization of security forces in its history. Despite it all, Coke escaped.

Four weeks later, he was arrested by police on the outskirts of Kingston dressed in woman's clothing.

Tivoli Gardens

The Shower Posse's roots lie in the West Kingston neighbourhood of Tivoli Gardens.

Tivoli was built in the 1960s as Jamaica's first housing project. The project was spearheaded by the area's elected Jamaica Labour Party representative, Edward Seaga. Not surprisingly, the area became a JLP stronghold.

Many say the Shower Posse was able to operate with immunity because the ruling Jamaica Labour Party turned a blind eye to the gang's actions.

Operation Garden Parish

After an arrest warrant was issued in late May of 2010 for Christopher Coke, supporters quickly put up barricades at the entrances into Tivoli Gardens. Jamaican authorities tore down the barriers, entering Tivoli Gardens by force.

A tour

At least 73 people died in the following days. The Jamaican army and police say the deaths were the result of officers forced to defend themselves after coming under attack, but residents call it an unjustified massacre.

An investigation into the raid is currently underway. Preliminary information suggests more than 1,000 firearms were used in the incursion and many of the bullets with military type.

The People of Tivoli

For years, Coke's posse shielded the 25,000 residents of Tivoli Gardens from the harsh realities of daily life in Jamaica. For example, residents didn't pay for electricity.

However, the gang also meted out its own crude form of justice. Police found what they believe was a torture chamber where those found guilty of crimes were hung from a ceiling bar by their arms and beaten with a metal baseball bat.

Despite that, residents say they are frustrated with the police presence since the incursion.

Jamaica Now

The Jamaican Constabulary Force says gang-related crime has dramatically declined across Jamaica and the number of murders has dropped by 30 per cent since the extradition of Christopher Coke.

Raid report

Jamaican Constabulary Force's deputy commissioner, Glenmore Hinds, says much of that is attributed to Coke's arrest.

Despite the statistics, community residents fear that the neighbourhood still doesn't appear to be safe.

USA

The Shower Posse emerged in the early 1980s in New York and Florida, according to author Duane Blake, who's written about the gang and is the son of Vivian Blake, the gang's leader in the U.S.

By the time Christopher Coke took over the Jamaica-based Shower Posse, a sophisticated network had emerged. Gang members were no longer selling drugs on the streets but were rather the main suppliers of marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine to an array of gangs in over 20 U.S. cities.

Vivian Blake

Heading the Shower Posse's U.S. operations was Vivian "Jamaican Dave" Blake. Some claim he was even the Shower Posse's original founder.

Under Blake's leadership, the Shower Posse terrorized South Florida's Jamaican community with its trademark bullet barrages. The origin of the posse's moniker is believed to come from its penchant to shower rivals in bullets.

Among the high-profile attacks were shoot-ups in the 1980s and '90s at crowded venues such as a fire hall, a hotel and a soccer match. Blake was charged with killings in Miami, but escaped to Jamaica.

He was extradited to the U.S. in 1999, where he pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges and received a 28-year sentence. Eight years later, he was released on parole and returned to Jamaica. In 2010, he died of natural causes at the age of 53.

Crackdown

A key part of the U.S. crackdown on the Shower Posse has been the extradition of Christopher Coke from Jamaica to the U.S.

U.S. attorney Preet Bharara, pictured to the right, issued the extradition order for Coke in August of 2009.

Prosecutors allege that Coke controlled an international drug ring from his stronghold of Tivoli Gardens, transporting cocaine to Miami and New York. Part of the profits were used to buy guns in the U.S. then shipped back to Coke.

On Sept. 1, 2011, Coke pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges and drug trafficking. He faces up to 23 years behind bars.

Indictment [PDF]

Coke's plea for leniency from the judge [PDF]

THE U.S. Now

No one believes that putting Coke behind bars has permanently dismantled the gang.

Christopher Coke's brother was recently arrested in Jamaica and is being held. Many believe if he is released he will take up the reign of leadership and reactivate the posse network.

The Shower Posse in Toronto

When the Shower Posse moved into Toronto in the early 1990s, they marked their territory with "showers" of bullets that left 16 people dead.

Toronto Police have said the posse is different from typical street gangs in their sophistication. Often the posse controls other street gangs in the posse's territory.

Kingpin

Pinpointing the Canadian leader of the Shower Posse is a difficult task. No one knows for sure who the Toronto kingpin is.

Even establishing a person's connection to the gang is difficult. Though a dozen individuals believed to be part of the posse have pleaded guilty to drug possession and trafficking charges, none of them pleaded guilty to participation in a criminal organization.

One detective says pleading guilty to the latter charge would be tantamount to admitting the person was a snitch, a death sentence in the gang world.

Crackdown

Over a five-year period, Toronto police said they conducted extensive wiretaps of core drug suppliers, recording an estimated 200,000 conversations. The investigation paid off.

During Project Fusion in 2009, more than 100 men and women believed to be involved in gangs and drugs across the GTA were arrested. Information from that investigation led to Project Corral in 2010 in which 79 men and women were arrested.

Between the two projects, a dozen men and women were identified as belonging to the Shower Posse. All have so far pleaded guilty to drug possession and trafficking.

Canada Now

According to Toronto police Chief Bill Blair, the streets of Toronto are safer now that members of the Shower Posse gang are behind bars.

The strategy

Fewer gang-related homicides have occurred in the city since the arrests, says Blair.

Though Projects Fusion and Corral were "disruptive" to the Shower Posse, he says a lot of work still needs to be done.

STORY: Toronto murders drop after Jamaica-based gang crackdown