FIVE GIRLS under 16 years old were among 15 suspected prostitutes held by the police on Port Henderson Road in Portmore, St Catherine, early yesterday morning.

The five juveniles were arrested less than one week after The Sunday Gleaner broke the news that one of the prostitutes operating on the strip, popularly known as 'Back Road', is a teenager listed as missing under the Ananda Alert.

After the story broke, the police vowed to increase their operations on Back Road, and about 1:00 yesterday morning, a team from the St Catherine South police staged a major raid on the infamous strip.

putting a lid on crime

Yesterday, Operations Officer for the St Catherine South police, Deputy Superintendent Clive Blair, told The Sunday Gleaner that his team had been concentrating its efforts along the stretch for sometime in an effort to put a lid on the illegal activities taking place there.

"We have been concerned about some aspects of the activities along the road, especially the girls practising prostitution," Blair said.

He said during the early morning operation, the females were arrested, and on investigation, the police determined that five were under the age of consent.

They are now being detained as children in need of care and protection but could face criminal charges.

One of the teenagers is to be charged with unlawful wounding after she allegedly injured a woman constable who was attempting to apprehend her.

Teens to be charged

Another juvenile is to face an assault charge after she allegedly attacked a member of the police team during the operation. A third girl could be charged with disorderly conduct.

More than 200 prostitutes are said to frequent Back Road nightly offering several sexual favours.

However, in recent months, more and more teenage girls have become a feature of the strip, which is known for its seafood and guest houses as much as for the prostitutes who frequent the area.

"Sometimes when I see the young girls them and what them doing to their bodies, me stomach sick," one business operator on Back Road told The Sunday Gleaner recently.

To combat the practice, the police have decided to distribute the pictures of missing girls to businesses on the road.