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Gun find puzzle

Cops probing large firearms seizure; sources say weapons intended for gun shop elsewhere

Published:Saturday | January 22, 2022 | 12:10 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau:

The Gleaner understands that the 20 handguns and 40 magazines that were found at the Sangster International Airport cargo on Friday were intended for a gun shop in another jurisdiction.

The guns were reportedly shipped to Jamaica in error and have been in cargo since January 12. The firearms are reportedly legal.

According to Gleaner sources, the five boxes of guns were destined for the gun shop, but only four arrived, with one mistakenly shipped here.

However, efforts to get the Police High Command to confirm this latest development were met with a terse response from Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, who acknowledged the find, but said, “That is all I am willing to say. The guns were found, and we are carrying out investigations.”

The guns were found early Friday afternoon during a routine processing of packages said Assistant Commissioner of Police Clifford Chambers in charge of Area One, who noted that the investigations were being carried out by a team comprising Customs, the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch and detectives from St James.

This was the second seizure by the police on Friday. One gun was found in one of the volatile St James community earlier in the day.

In 2021, the St James police seized 126 illegal firearms, 10 more than 2020 and 30 more than 2019.