ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — The St Catherine South police say they have seized three illegal firearms and several rounds of ammunition in separate operations across the Division within the first 24 hours of Operation Resilience II.

In the first operation which took place about 10:48 am on Friday, a police team comprising members of the Specialized Operations Branch conducted snap raids in sections of Christian Gardens where they seized a .45 semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing seven rounds.

Nine men were detained for questioning during the operation.

In the second operation in the 3 East area of Greater Portmore, a police team conducted a targeted operation about 8:40 pm. One man was accosted, searched and a 9mm pistol with a magazine containing three rounds taken from him. Two other men were also arrested for other offences.

A third operation conducted about 11:30 pm, in the vicinity of the Hellshire round-a-bout, in Portmore, St Catherine, yielded a Glock .40 pistol with an extended magazine containing 13 rounds of ammunition. The police say a Quick Response Team targeted a motorcycle with two men after they were signaled to stop but refused and sped off. The team gave chase and the pillion fell off the motorcycle. A bag he was carrying also fell. The driver continued and the pillion made his escape in the area, leaving the bag behind. It was searched and the weapon found.

The seizures came hours after ‘Operation Relentless II’ was launched by the Police High Command targeting guns, gunmen and gangs across the island. In support of this initiative, the St Catherine South police has ramped up operational activities across the division with increased daily deployment in hotspot communities. Since the start of the year, the St Catherine South police seized 53 illegal firearms, eight more than the corresponding period last year.

Commanding Officer for the Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Christopher Phillips commended his team for their effort and has also committed to an all-out assault on criminals and violence producers in the division.