WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – A joint police-military operation is now underway in Gully Banks, Savanna-la-Mar and a 48-hour curfew imposed following heightened tension in the area.

Two high-powered weapons have reportedly been seized by the police and several “violence producers” have been taken into custody, Head of the Westmoreland Police Division Senior Superintendent (SSP) Wayne Josephs confirmed.

“Currently we are conducting an operation in the Barracks Road area of Sav, this area is popularly known as Gully Banks. We have a 48-hour curfew that is in place in this space and we are conducting a number of coordinate searches. We have assets from Kingston that are assisting us,” SSP Josephs told OBSERVER ONLINE.

SSP Josephs said operations of this nature will continue across the parish.

“Over the next couple of days/weeks you will see a number of these operations taking place across the parish because we intend to continue these operations until we can deescalate the tension that is taking place, so that we can resume, when we bring back the place to normalcy, intervention efforts,” the lawman assured.

Meanwhile, SSP Josephs is appealing to persons with information about any criminals within the space to liaison with the police.

“I just want it to be known that we will be honing this space right throughout tonight into tomorrow and if needs be we will go further. I want anybody out there who is within the space with information or know where there is a gun-holder or any person the police may have interest in to just pass on the information while we are still on the ground,” SSP Josephs urged.

“The gun that you might refuse to tell us about might just be turned on you or some of your family or someone you know tomorrow. So cease the opportunity while you have the military [and] the police within the space, so that we can do a thorough search throughout the space and try to make it safer for you and your family,” he stressed.

– Kimberly Peddie