Jamaica seeks US help in probe of major gun find
THE JAMAICAN police plan to seek the assistance of their counterparts in the United States (US) to help identify the persons behind the cache of guns and over 600 assorted rounds of ammunition that were seized at the wharf in Kingston on Wednesday, law enforcement sources have revealed.
In addition, the police, through its Constabulary Communication Unit (CCU), confirmed that 16 more guns that investigators believe are linked to the same shipment were seized in a secondary operation yesterday.
The CCU said that all 16 weapons are 9mm pistols and push the total number of guns seized to 26. Sixteen magazines and a single bullet were also seized in the operation, which was carried out at a container terminal in Kingston.
According to sources, Wednesday’s find of 10 firearms, 640 rounds of ammunition, and 26 magazines was stashed in a barrel with food items and bearing an address in the US state of Georgia. It was reportedly addressed to a man in Mona, St Andrew.
Yesterday, law enforcement sources revealed that through established channels, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) plans to engage the assistance of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace the history of the weapons, among other things.
“Who purchased them, when were they purchased, things like that,” one source explained of the assistance being sought from the US law enforcement agency.
EMBASSY MUM
The United States Embassy in Kingston declined to comment on the matter.
“It is embassy protocol to not provide comments regarding current law enforcement investigations,” Jeremiah Knight, counsellor for public affairs at the US Embassy, said in an email response to The Gleaner.
Detectives from the JCF’s CounterTerrorism and Organised Crime Division (C-TOC) were reportedly called to the wharf on Wednesday after members of the Contraband Enforcement Team observed “anomalies” with the barrel.
According to sources, a search of the barrel revealed one Uzi submachine gun, nine pistols, 27 magazines, and 640 rounds of ammunition for a variety of firearms. Investigators revealed that two men, including a taxi operator, were immediately taken into custody.
Subsequent police operations led to the arrest of two other persons, sources said.