Eighteen persons detained in early-morning police raid

The St Catherine South police have detained 18 persons, recovered two illegal firearms and charged two men with illegal possession of a firearm. Three individuals deemed as persons of interest in relation to the firebombing of homes on Walkers Avenue on Saturday were also taken in for questioning.

Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the police Corporate Communications Unit, Stephanie Lindsay, said the operation was launched to capture the men responsible for firebombing the homes on Walkers Avenue.

She said there will be follow-up operations because all the persons are not yet in police custody.

Lindsay, who was speaking to reporters at a briefing at the 100 man police station yesterday, said the police effort in the operation that started at 5 a.m. was also aimed at reassuring residents that the police is responsible for their security.

One of the guns, a .38 revolver, was recovered at premises in the informal community of Gulf. The other, a pistol with seven rounds of ammunition – which led to the arrest of two men – was found in premises on Walkers Avenue.

The operation was carried out jointly with the assistance of members of the Jamaica Defence Force.