KINGSTON, Jamaica — Superintendent of Police and Commanding Officer for St Catherine North Division, Hopton Nicholson, is reporting an increase in the seizure of illegal firearms and ammunition for the 2024 period so far.

According to Nicholson, since the start of the year, 51 illegal firearms and 525 rounds of ammunition have been seized by the St Catherine North police. This is in comparison to 46 firearms and 453 rounds of ammunition for the same period in 2023.

Nicholson gave the update during a press briefing Monday morning at the Spanish Town Police Station.

“Over the past three days, three illegal firearms and 47 rounds of ammunition were recovered in the St Catherine North Police Division,” the superintendent said while addressing the media.

In the first incident, on Saturday, November 9, shortly after midnight, a man attacked plain clothes police officers with a firearm on Job’s Lane in the parish. The police officers reportedly took evasive action and the man was shot and injured. A 9mm pistol loaded with 10 rounds was seized from the injured man and he was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A second firearm was seized when members of the Area 5 Fugitive Apprehension Team conducted an operation in Berry district in the Riversdale area, in search of a wanted man and his cronies. On the approach of the police, one man engaged the officers in a fierce gun battle. He was shot and injured and later transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, Nicholson said.

“A firearm loaded with an extended magazine, and this magazine has the capacity to hold 30 rounds. So this magazine was recovered in the firearm with 14 rounds. Another magazine loaded with 10 rounds was also recovered,” Nicholson shared.

“Two police officers received minor injuries. These injuries are not considered life- threatening at this time,” he continued.

The third firearm was seized about 2:00 am on Monday, November 11, while the St Catherine North police were in the process of shutting down an unpermitted event in the St Jago Gardens area of Spanish Town.

The superintendent said a man who arose the suspicion of the police was searched and a 9mm pistol loaded with 13 rounds was seized from him. He was subsequently arrested.