Gun recovered during Instagram Live session

Awoman who went live on social media as police searched a Craig Town, St Andrew, house was left dumbfounded when the lawmen discovered a firearm, tucked in a lunch bag, inside a dwelling.

The woman has not been charged in relation to the discovery of the gun, a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol.

“The police wanted to search a house in her presence, but she had her phone going live on Instagram, so the recovery was captured,” Senior Superintendent of Police Michael Phipps, head of the Kingston West Police, told THE STAR.

He said that the woman was merely a person who the police asked to be a witness to the search.

The senior crime-fighter said that no one has been arrested in connection with the find, but stressed that investigators are following strong leads. He said that hiding the firearm in a lunch bag is among the myriad of ways persons have sought to conceal illegal items. “Criminals have, over time, tried to use various means to conceal and transport firearms from one point to another, and this is just another instance. We have always exercised great levels of vigilance when we conduct searches for firearms and we know criminals use very sophisticated and creative means in trying to conceal or make it more difficult for officers engaged in these search,” the senior cop said.

Firearms figure prominently in the vast majority of murders committed in Jamaica. As of September 4, there were 935 recorded murders in the country, which is nearly 10 per cent more than the corresponding period last year. Shootings (815) are up 2.5 per cent. In the Kingston West Police Division where the gun was found, murders are up 29.2 per cent over last year’s figure while there is a 34.4 per cent increase in shootings.