Cops quiz two in major arms bust
July 19, 2007
The St James police were up to late last night questioning two persons about a major arms bust at a warehouse in Freeport where six rifles, two handguns and over 1,000 assorted rounds of ammunition were discovered in two barrels among food and clothing.
Yesterday's police search yielded four Ak 47 rifles, one M16 rifle, one Ruger M16 rifle, a .357 Magnum, one Glock 40 pistol, 10 magazine and 1,090 rounds of ammunition.
According to police reports about 3:45 yesterday, the police, carried out an intelligence-driven search at the Seaboard Wharf at Freeport, Montego Bay.
During the operation the arms were found, bringing to 46, the number of firearms recovered in the parish since January.
After the raid, Superintendent Steve McGregor highlighted the need for a rigorous scanning at the external ports in view of the relative ease with which weapons can pass through without interception.
"It is quite instructive to see that these guns were found in a barrel with just food items and clothing around it. So it tells you that there was not much scanning that was done at the initial of these bonded warehouses. I shudder to think of the amount that might have passed so far," he lamented.
He added: "The St James police have been monitoring the external ports in the parish, mainly the Seaboard warehouse and then western freights".
Superintendent Mcgregor, the commanding officer for the St James police division, promised a continuous monitoring of "the activities of these warehouses" and disclosed that there were "some paper trails that we will be following to deal with this find today".
Inspector Steve Brown of Operation Kingfish also had a theory.
What I have noticed is the fact that Kingfish is laying on the pressure on the guys in Kingston, we are monitoring the wharfs and the ports closely in Kingston. we suspect now that the criminal network is now focusing their attention in Montego Bay and other ports in Jamaica. Against that background we have intensified our efforts to ensure that these are closely monitored," said Inspector Brown, at a press conference in Montego Bay yesterday.
Author: Horace Hines
Source: Jamaica Observer
