ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – Cops in the St Catherine North Police Division have reportedly intensified their operations in response to the recent spate of murders in the division.

Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, who heads the division, noted Tuesday that the police will be increasing their operational outputs to “unprecedented levels” in the interest of decent, law-abiding citizens, a release from the Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) said.

The senior cop has attributed most of the recent murders in the division to gang-related activities and has given the assurance that the police will be “occupying public spaces and dominating major thoroughfares in a bid to disrupt gang activities and deny gang members the opportunity to move about and commit crimes with impunity”.

Over the last few weeks, the police say there have been coordinated operations throughout the division, which has led to the seizure of several firearms and ammunition and the fatal shooting of criminal kingpin, Michael ‘Tullus’ Morgan and his accomplice Ricardo Nicholas, otherwise called ‘Stinger’.

Morgan and Nicholas were shot dead in New Nursery, Spanish Town on Friday, January 23, when they reportedly engaged the lawmen in a gun battle.

Meanwhile, the police issued a warning to members of the public.

“It is a criminal offence to harbour criminals and if found culpable, they will face the full extent of the law,” the CCU release said. “The police are urging the public to play their part in the fight against crime and support them in making Jamaica a safer place, by calling Crime Stop at 311, 811, police 119 emergency number or the nearest police station to report all crimes or suspicious activities in their area.”