Bullets bonanza

More than 4,000 bullets were allegedly found inside a St James home that was searched by the security forces last month as part of coordinated operations to arrest key figures in the alleged multibillion-dollar fraud at the collapsed investment firm Stocks & Securities Limited (SSL), multiple law-enforcement sources have revealed.

The cache included more than 1,700 rounds of ammunition for a 20-gauge shotgun; over 1,500 rounds of ammunition for a 12-gauge shotgun; some 400 bullets for a 28-gauge shotgun; over 200 bullets for a 9mm pistol; and more than 400 of the rare .410 rounds of ammunition.

The police, who provided support for the operation, have not publicly disclosed how many bullets were seized.

Jamaican law allows licensed gun owners up to 50 rounds of ammunition each year.

Licensed shotgun owners are allowed 250 rounds of ammunition each year under the terms and conditions set out in their permits issued by the Firearms Licensing Authority, the regulator for gun permits in Jamaica.

The law also prohibits licensed gun owners from stockpiling bullets.

Dermot Meany, one of the two persons who was held inside the Kempshot, St James home, was arrested during the pre-dawn operation on December 28 on suspicion of breaches of the Firearms Act, the police and Financial Investigation Division (FID) disclosed at the time.

The FID is the agency leading the probe into the alleged $4-billion SSL fraud.

Meany, who is the holder of multiple firearm permits, was found to be in possession of ammunition exceeding the legally permitted amount, the FID charged without disclosing the amount of bullets that were seized.

LEGISLATION STATES ...

Under Section 6 of the Firearms Act 2022, a person found in possession of three or more prohibited weapons or 50 rounds of ammunition or more “shall be treated as having stockpiled prohibited weapons”.

Further, the legislation stipulates that a person who is convicted of breaching the law commits a felony and shall be sentenced to life in prison.

“He will have to explain why [he allegedly had so many ammunition] because the licence only allows 250 rounds [for a shotgun each year],” said one legal expert, making reference to Meany.

Michael Hemmings, the attorney representing Meany, said his client has not been charged with any crime and declined to comment on the quantity of ammunition that was seized.

“He is on pre-charge bail pending investigations and that is the most I’m prepared to say,” Hemmings told The Gleaner, when contacted yesterday.

“Investigations are still ongoing, so I wish not to comment on that,” he added, when asked about the amount of ammunition seized at the house where Meany was arrested.

Seeking to explain why the quantity of bullets seized during the operation was not publicly disclosed, the FID said it has no legal authority to lay charges under the Firearms Act.

Garth Williams, brand communication specialist at the FID, said that, as a result, the agency opted to focus on its role in the SSL investigation and only mentioned the alleged breach of the gun law without giving details.

“Because that should be left to the Jamaica Constabulary Force to share as they see fit when executing on the result of that [alleged] breach,” Williams explained.

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com