ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Minister of National Security Robert Montague today revealed that more than 700 of the 833 illegal firearms recovered by the police since the start of the year are new weapons.

The minister made the revelation at the handing over of 97 new vehicles to the Jamaica Constabulary Force, at the police headquarters on Old Hope Road in St Andrew.

He said only just over 100 of those guns have a ballistic history in Jamaica.

The revelation comes amidst an ongoing investigation into a major gun and ammunition find with Jamaican links, by United States Customs and Border Protection in Miami Florida on November 13.

The find included a shipment of two barrels said to contain personal effects which upon inspection had among those items, 115 pistols, two rifles, nine handguns, 139 magazines, magazine parts, weapons parts, and an assortment of approximately 300 rounds of ammunition.

The consignor and the alleged consignee of the shipment, which was due for export from Miami to Montego Bay, are both Jamaicans, one of whom was previously employed to a councillor from the St James Municipal Council.

The find has triggered a local police investigation, with one woman being held last week for questioning by the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime branch on reasonable suspicion of conspiracy to import guns and ammunition.

“So our investment in the two ships and the plane some people think it’s a joke, but when one of these guns are turned on you, it’s not a joke,” Montague said.

He noted that the Jamaica Defence Force now has custody of a surveillance aircraft and that it is to be put into operation by April 2018. 

The aircraft is part of a slew of measures that the Government is implementing as it seeks to beef up the island’s border-protection system.

Alphea Saunders