Leighton Levy, STAR Writer

As the authorities on St Maarten continue to crack down on crime on the island, a number of Jamaicans were detained after being found to be living on the island illegally. However, they have not been linked to any other crimes.

Earlier this week, members of a zero-tolerance team, a team of policemen specially assembled to tackle the island's worsening crime problem, received information that there was an unspecified amount of drugs and weapons hidden at a home in Dutch Quarter.

They descended on the home and three Jamaican women found there were taken into custody. Two of the women were found to be living on the island illegally and were detained. The other was released.

A small amount of marijuana was found at the premises and was seized. However, no weapons were found.

Meanwhile, authorities from the French side of the island, in conjunction with detectives from the Dutch side, and members of the zero-tolerance team raided a garage in a community called Saunders.

The raid was carried out as part of ongoing investigations into robberies committed on the island. No evidence was found linking the garage to any robberies, but six men from Jamaica, Guyana, St Lucia and Dominica were found to be living on the island illegally and were taken into custody and handed over to the Immigration Department.

An estimated 20,000 people are said to be living illegally on the island.