Haitian Authorities Order Arrest of 'Fantom 509' Renegade Cops

Haiti's Justice and Security Minister Rockfeller Vincent on Tuesday ordered the dismantling of the "Fantom 509" after members of this police union clashed with their professional colleagues.

RELATED:

Haiti: 'Fantom 509' Raids Police Station To Free Its Mates

"Instructions have been passed to the National Police high staff to dismantle this terrorist group. Posing as policemen, they terrorize the population and seek to spread chaos in the country by looting and setting fire to private property," he said.

The Minister also ordered police commanders to detect the "white-collar manipulators" who are financing the activities of this renegade group, which killed a policeman during a protest in Port-au-Prince on Monday.

On that occasion, the Fantom 509 were protesting to demand the police authorities to recover the bodies of the four officers who were killed in the Village de Dieu shantytown during an anti-gang operation on March 13.

In February, another clash between renegade cops and the National Police left at least five dead, four of whom were members of Fantom 509.

The meme reads, "Haiti needs a new Duvalier to bring order. The terrorist group Fantom 509, an alleged police union, attacked the Belizean soccer team that came to Haiti to play a World Cup qualifying match."

The National Police Director Leon Charles reported on the initiation of legal action against the Phantom 509 members.

"On behalf of law and order, the police will track down with the utmost rigor those criminals who believe they can act with impunity," he said.

The renegade policemen will be fired and arrested for "usurpation of title" if they continue to wear their uniforms, outlet Haiti Libre reported, adding that authorities are very actively searching for at least eight Fantom 509 members.