A man has been charged after reportedly attempting to extort money from someone by threatening to release a photograph, police said yesterday.

Dwayne Drummond was arrested by detectives from the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (CTOC) last Friday.

Reports are that last Thursday, Drummond telephoned the victim threatening to expose a photograph unless J$50,000 was paid. This sum was later reduced when the victim agreed to meet and pay the accused.

Last Friday, the police said the accused was given J$20,000 and the licence plate number along with a description of the accused ascertained.

The matter was subsequently reported to detectives at CTOC who launched an investigation which resulted in the apprehension of Drummond, while he was collecting the balance of the money requested from the victim. He was arrested, questioned in the presence of his attorney and later charged with extortion.

He is scheduled to appear before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court at Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, next Wednesday.

The CTOC continues to refine its investigative and tactical approaches to addressing extortion. The branch therefore continues to encourage members of the public who are affected by or aware of the crime of extortion to report it to C-TOC at 967-1389 or visit the branch at Shop 68, 8-10 Ocean Boulevard, Kingston (across from the National Gallery of Jamaica).