The police are warning Jamaicans against allowing their names to be used to acquire or hold property for others, cautioning that doing so without verifying the source of the funds could result in criminal charges, hefty fines, imprisonment and the loss of the assets.

The warning follows the arrest and charge of a Clarendon woman in connection with an alleged J$250-million money-laundering scheme involving properties investigators say were beneficially owned by a now-deceased Jamaican drug trafficker convicted in the United States (US).

Deputy Superintendent of Police Brent Williams, head of the Constabulary Financial Unit (CFU), said Jamaicans should exercise extreme caution before agreeing to register properties or make purchases on behalf of another person.