Police arrest 11 persons after recovering 8 illegal guns, 89 assorted rounds of ammo

A total of eight illegal firearms and 89 assorted rounds of ammunition were seized in separate incidents across the island last week, according to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Eleven persons in total were arrested in connection with the illegal gun and ammunition seizures.

The police say four persons were arrested in connection with the seizure of four of the illegal firearms and approximately 54 rounds of ammunition in Westmoreland, one person arrested in connection with the seizure of one firearm in Trelawny, and six persons arrested in connection with the seizure of two firearms and 32 assorted rounds of ammunition in St. James.

The first seizure in Westmoreland, occurred on Thursday when the police were alerted about a dispute at the Negril transportation centre between two men over a gun.  The area was searched and one Parabellum 9mm pistol with five 9mm rounds of ammunition was found beneath a house.

One man was subsequently arrested  in connection with the find.

About 8:00 p.m., also on Thursday in Beeston Spring, residents relieved one of two men who were involved in an altercation of a .38 revolver containing three .38 cartridges. The  man was injured in the incident and was taken to hospital where he was admitted under police guard. The firearm was handed over to the police.

On Friday, about 10 p.m., a man was arrested in Whitehall in connection with a Taurus semi-automatic pistol affixed with a magazine containing ten 9mm rounds of ammunition. The weapon was found beneath the driver’s seat of the vehicle he was driving.  

On Saturday, during an operation on Dawes Lane in Sheffield district, an unoccupied shop was searched and a black sock containing one Glock magazine and thirty-six .40 rounds of ammunition were found.

Two persons were arrested in connection with the find.

Over in Trelawny, one firearm was seized on Wednesday, about 11:25 p.m. and 29-year-old man arrested and charged after he was seen removing a Taurus 9mm pistol from his waistband. He was subsequently arrested and charged.

In St. James, a woman handed over nine .45 cartridges to the Anchovy police that she reportedly found inside her spouse’s knapsack. The police are still searching for the suspect.

On Thursday, about 6:30 a.m., a joint police/military team conducted operations in Coconut Loop, Catherine Hall, St. James where a house was searched and two firearms – one Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol, a 9mm pistol and 23 rounds of ammunition were found. An extra magazine and spring were also found.

Six persons were taken into custody as investigations into this seizure continue.

And the St Andrew South  police reaped similar success during a predawn operation yesterday, which resulted in the seizure of one Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun and three cartridges. No one was arrested the seizure.

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