Bahamas: Information on the One Order gang, including activities, key members, and state response, particularly in "Bozine Town" (2010-July 2016)

Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 15 July 2016 Citation / Document Symbol BHS105588.E Related Document(s) Bahamas : information sur le gang One Order, y compris ses activités, ses membres importants et l'intervention de l'État, en particulier à « Bozine Town » (2010-juillet 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bahamas: Information on the One Order gang, including activities, key members, and state response, particularly in "Bozine Town" (2010-July 2016), 15 July 2016, BHS105588.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58a5abff4.html [accessed 26 September 2020] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Overview and Activities

According to a police superintendent and head of the Central Detective Unit, as quoted by the Bahamian newspaper Nassau Guardian, the Bahamas has several gangs and the One Order gang is the "most organized" (Nassau Guardian 6 May 2013). The Bahamas' Minister of State for National Security describes the One Order gang as a "criminal enterprise" (qtd. in Freeport News 28 Oct. 2015). According to the Bahamian news source The Tribune, One Order has "a very violent reputation" (26 May 2015). Without providing details or a timeframe, the Minister of State for National Security stated that One Order is the "most violent gang" in the Bahamas and was responsible for more than 200 murders (qtd. in Freeport News 28 Oct. 2015).

Sources indicate that the One Order gang has international ties (Nassau Guardian 6 May 2013; The Tribune 26 May 2015) and is active in Jamaica (ibid.). For information about the One Order gang in Jamaica, see Response to Information Request JAM105516.

According to the Bahamas Journal, a Bahamian newspaper, the One Order gang has been involved with an "ongoing feud" with the Fire and Theft gang, a criminal organization whose alleged leader was shot to death in April 2013 (19 Apr. 2013).

2. Key Members

Sources report that Stephen 'Die' Stubbs was the alleged leader of the One Order gang (The Bahamas Journal 31 Oct. 2013; BahamasB2B.com 22 Aug. 2012). According to the Nassau-based web portal BahamasB2B.com, Stubbs "was once called the most wanted man in the Bahamas" (ibid.). The same source indicates that Stubbs faced charges for smuggling $6 million Bahamian dollars (BSD) [C$7.8 million] worth of marijuana in 2009, along with three other men; the case was ongoing in 2012 and was postponed multiple times (ibid.). In addition, BahamasB2B.com states that Stubbs also faced abetment to murder charges in an unrelated case (ibid.).

The Bahamas Journal reports that in October 2013, Stubbs and two other men were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1999 murder of police officer Jimmy Ambrose and to 10 years imprisonment for the attempted murder of another police officer, Marcian Scott (The Bahamas Journal 31 Oct. 2013). The second police officer, who was a key witness in the trial, was murdered in 2006 (ibid.). Freeport News quotes the Minister of State for National Security as stating that in 1999, One Order members executed Officer Jimmy Ambrose, and shot and permanently disabled another police officer (Freeport News 28 Oct. 2015). The Minister further indicated that a third police officer, who was a key witness in this case, was later executed by One Order in order to prevent him from testifying in the case (ibid.).

Sources indicate that Stubbs is from the Ridgeland community (The Bahamas Journal 31 Oct. 2013) or Ridgeland Park [in Nassau] (BahamasB2B.com 22 Aug. 2012).

Further information about key members of the One Order gang in the Bahamas could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. State Response

According to the Minister of State for National Security, the One Order gang is "creating challenges" for authorities, but they "are dealing with it" (qtd. in Freeport News 28 Oct. 2015). Further information on the state response specifically to the One Order gang could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources indicate that the Royal Bahamas Police Force has an Anti-gang Unit (Nassau Guardian 24 Aug. 2015; US 9 Oct. 2012). According to a news release by the US Department of Homeland Security, the Royal Bahamas Police Force was in the process of establishing the anti-gang unit in 2012 (ibid.). The Nassau Guardian quotes a chief superintendent of police as stating that law enforcement officials are trying to prevent gangs from getting access to drugs, with the hope that this will eliminate turf wars between rival factions (Nassau Guardian 24 Aug. 2015).

3.1 Crime Statistics and Gang-related Violence

According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)'s Global Study on Homicide 2013, the Bahamas has shown an increasing rate of organized crime/gang-related homicide (UN 2013, 43). The same source notes statistics provided by the Organization of American States (OAS) as indicating that there were 94 homicides in the Bahamas in 2010, 127 in 2011, and 111 in 2012, figures equivalent to the rates of 26.1 people per 100,000 in 2010, 34.7 in 2011 and 29.8 in 2012 (ibid., 125). The Tribune reports that, according to the Commissioner of Police, there were 123 homicides in the Bahamas in 2014 and 146 in 2015 (The Tribune 11 Feb. 2016).

The programme manager for the US Homeland Security Investigations' National Gang Unit reportedly stated that "'organized gangs'" are a "growing problem in the Bahamas" (US 9 Oct. 2012). The US Department of Homeland Security also quotes the Bahamas' National Security Minister as stating that "'well organized and sophisticated'" gangs pose a "'serious threat'" in the Bahamas (ibid.). According to the US Department of State's Overseas Advisory Council's (OSAC) 2016 Crime and Safety Report, criminal activity in the Bahamas includes illegal importation and smuggling of drugs and weapons, as well as human trafficking (ibid. 1 Mar. 2016). The US Department of State's 2016 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report further indicates that smuggling in the Bahamas is "enabled and accompanied by organized crime and gang activity," and drug trafficking routes include passages from Jamaica to the Bahamas en route to the US (ibid. 2016). According to a chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, gang activity in the Bahamas contributes to the homicide rate due to "retaliation and gang turf wars, with respect to drugs" (qtd. in Nassau Guardian 24 Aug. 2015).

4. Gang Activity in Bozine Town

Information about One Order gang activity and state response in Bozine Town could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the following information may be useful.

Bozine Town is a community located on New Providence Island (Bahamas B2B.com 4 Jan. 2006). According to the Bahamas 2016 Crime and Safety Report,

[m]uch of the violent crime on New Providence Island happens in non-tourist areas referred to locally as "Over the Hill." These areas are generally south of the downtown Nassau area south of Shirley Street. These areas are not clearly defined but encompass the lower income areas on New Providence. (US 1 Mar. 2016)

According to a chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, there are "pockets of gangs in different communities," and some people cannot go into certain areas, such as East Street, Nassau Village and Kemp Road, because gang clashes lead to deaths (qtd. in Nassau Guardian 24 Aug. 2015). The Minister of State for National Security is quoted by Freeport News as indicating that most of the violence in New Providence experienced by young men is related to activities of the One Order gang (Freeport News 28 Oct. 2015).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

BahamasB2B.com. 22 August 2012. "More Shenanigans in 'Die' Stubbs Case." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

BahamasB2B.com. 4 January 2006. "Bozine Land Fight Headed Back to Court." [Accessed 8 July 2016]

The Bahamas Journal. 31 October 2013. Jones Bahamas. "'Die' Gets Life Sentence." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

The Bahamas Journal. 19 April 2013. Jones Bahamas. "Gang Leader Killed - Second Shooting Victim Dies in Hospital." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

Freeport News. 28 October 2015. "State Minister for National Security Throws His Support Behand Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

Nassau Guardian. 24 August 2015. Artesia Davis. "Police Pledge Renewed Efforts to Dismantle Gangs." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

Nassau Guardian. 6 May 2013. Artesia Davis. "Funeral T-Shirts Glorify Gang Culture." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

The Tribune. 11 February 2016. Sancheska Brown. "Crime Statistics: Murders, Rapes and Armed Robberies Up." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

The Tribune. 26 May 2015. "Life of Crime: Gangland Bahamas--How Much Violence Can Be Put Down to Gangs?" [Accessed 7 July 2016]

United Nations (UN). 2013. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Global Study on Homicide 2013. [Accessed 11 July 2016]

United States (US). 1 March 2016. Department of State, Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC). The Bahamas 2016 Crime & Safety Report. [Accessed 7 July 2016]

United States (US). 2016. Department of State. "Country Report: The Bahamas." 2016 International Narcotics Strategy Report. [Accessed 8 July 2016]

United States (US). 9 October 2012. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. "Top Story: Royal Bahamas Police Force Turns to HSI Gang Unit for Guidance." [Accessed 7 July 2016]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Royal Bahamas Police Force; Youth Against Violence.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; Bahamas – Ministry of National Security, Royal Bahamas Police Force; ecoi.net; Human Rights Watch; The Punch; UN – Refworld.