Guns galore
Operation nets illegal firearms in St James
Published:Friday | August 18, 2023 | 12:06 AM
IN THE latest seizure on Wednesday, the police found a Mac-11 pistol/submachine gun and a Glock 9mm in the Retirement landfill.
The police also unearthed part of a rifle.
It has not been ascertained if the operations at the landfill have been impacted by the security forces’ operations.
The police are expected to continue the search for illegal guns.
A reliable source told The Gleaner that as many as seven rifles may be hidden at the landfill.
The Gleaner understands that one person, who it is alleged dropped the firearm on the arrival of the police, has been taken into custody in relation to the find on Wednesday.
Acting head of the St James police, Superintendent Eron Samuels, told The Gleaner that several gangs operate in the space and so the police cannot readily pin which gang the guns belonged to.
“I can’t say directly now which gang, but we have several factions that operate within that whole Retirement dump area. In fact, Zaddo, who was recently shot and killed in confrontation with the police in Barrett Town, operated in that area. He was from that area and normally operated from the dump as well.”
Zaddo or Goddy, whose given name is Nesta Gallimore, was killed, along with Javon Henry and Javan Henry, on June 3.
The police have seized three rifles and eight hand guns in the parish since the start of Operation Surge, and Supt Samuels believes there are many more guns out there.
“We want to ensure that we disarm the criminals and we know that there are a lot a guns in St James. However, as many as we can take out of the hands of the criminals, then it works much better for us in our crime-fighting efforts,” he told told The Gleaner.
Efforts to speak with National Solid Waste Management Executive Director Audley Gordon proved futile. Several calls to his cell phone went to voicemail recordings.
Meanwhile, the St James police and members of the military seized two Glock pistols on Jimmy Cliff Boulevard in the parish.
One man and two women were taken into custody.
Operation Surge will run for 14 days.