ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Police are reporting that 16 people were detained for questioning on Monday, and a firearm was seized during an operation in Santa Cruz and its environs.

Head of the St Elizabeth police division, Superintendent Coleridge Minto, in a video release, said the operation, which started about 4:00 am, ended incident-free.

“The areas targeted were largely communities in the Santa Cruz policing areas. These areas include Leeds, Goshen, Seven Corners, Providence Acres. At the end of the operation, 16 persons were detained for questioning. One prohibited 9mm Taurus pistol was also seized during a raid at a premises,” he said.

“The cooperation of the citizens is also commendable. I want to also highlight that, notwithstanding that a firearm was seized this morning at one of the premises, there was no use of force. The persons at this particular premises cooperated with the police, and they will have their day in court,” added Minto.

He is warning wanted persons to turn themselves in to the police.

“We will continue these targeted operations. There are a number of persons in St Elizabeth who are going about committing criminal offences, to include murder, robberies and shootings. We must be very clear that we are going after them,” he said while referencing that a murder suspect turned himself in on the weekend.

“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the persons we have listed as either wanted or as persons of interests to seek the services of an attorney or a JP and to report to the nearest police station and have your day in court,” added Minto.

Sergeant Albert Simpson, sub-officer in charge of the St Elizabeth traffic department, said over 100 tickets were issued for traffic breaches during Monday’s operation.

He said the police will continue traffic enforcement even as there is a reduction in road fatalities across the parish when compared to the corresponding period last year.

— Kasey Williams