11 in custody after special ops seized three guns and ammo

The first weapon was recovered in a section of Christian Gardens (Banga Gully) about 10:48 am after a police team operating in the area searched an open lot where one .45 semi-automatic pistol – make and serial numbers not visible with a magazine containing seven (7) live .45 cartridges – were found between some sheet of ply boards. One additional 9mm cartridge was also found inside a flower pot outside a shop. A total of nine men were taken into custody.

In the second incident about 8:40 pm, the police carried out targeted operations along 33 Way 3 East Greater Portmore where a group of men were accosted. One man was found with a 9mm Heyward Streams pistol with magazine containing three 9mm cartridges and another found with vegetable matter resembling ganja estimated to be about 1/4 lb. Three men were arrested in that incident.

The third incident happened about 11:30 pm in the vicinity of the Hellshire round-a-bout. The Quick Response team were on patrol in the area when they observed two men on a motorcycle registration plates unknown travelling along the Hellshire main road. The pillion had a white bag over his left shoulder. Their action arouses suspicion and the team signalled them to stop. The cyclist refused to and a chase ensued. On entering the round-a-bout, the pillion fell from the motorcycle and the bag fell from his shoulder. The rider of the motorcycle continued on his journey and the pillion made good his escape in the area. The bag was retrieved and searched and one glock 40 pistol affixed with an extended magazine containing thirteen (13) .40 rounds were recovered.

These recoveries came hours after the launch of Operation Relentless II by the Commissioner of Police. The initiative targets criminal gangs and gangsters involved in violent crimes. The St. Catherine South Police has since ramped up their presence and operational activities across the division with daily focus in hotspot communities. The St. Catherine South Police Division, since the start of the year, has so far taken 53 illegal weapons off the streets, eight more than the figures recorded for 2021 where 45 weapons were recovered.

Commanding officer for the division, SSP Christopher Phillips, had high praises for the teams and has vowed that the police will continue an all-out assault against criminals and violence producers within the division.