Rasbert Turner, Star Writer

The St Catherine South police have arrested a 15-year-old boy for collecting money in an extortion racket.

The police say that their investigations resulted in the Portmore, St Catherine teen being taken into custody on extortion charges.

Reports reaching THE STAR are that the boy was held by the police while he was collecting the money. He was picked up along Germaine Road in Portmore on Saturday night.

The allegations are that the teenager had just collected $8,000 from the complainant when he was held by the police.

The teen, the police claim, was held after its intelligence revealed that he had collected the extortion money on behalf of a man who is presently serving time in prison.

It is alleged that the man had called the complainant by telephone and made threats and demanded that the money be paid over to the teen. The complainant was said to have been threatened in the process.

A report was made to the police and the boy was later caught collecting the money. He is scheduled to appear in the Children's Court later this month.