Norman Grindley/Staff Photographer
Head of the Flying Squad Department, Deputy Superintendent Cornwall "Bigga" Ford, points to some of the .45 and 9-mm rounds, which were among over 350 assorted rounds of ammunition and five guns seized by the police yesterday in Central Kingston.MORE THAN 300 assorted rounds of ammunition and five semi-automatic pistols were unearthed from the compound of the St. Michael's All-Age School, Tower Street, Central Kingston, during an extensive police operation yesterday morning.
The school is located across the road from the General Penitentiary and borders the rival political communities of "Southside" and Rae Town.
The unusual visit to the school by the scores of lawmen yesterday arrested the attention of the residents who came out in droves to watch what was happening.
"Classes at the school were not disrupted. We just went in and told the principal that our operation will be concentrated on a section of the compound," a spokesperson from the CIB headquarters told The Gleaner yesterday.
Head of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), Superintendent James Forbes, who was at the CIB headquarters in downtown Kingston yesterday, where the weapons and ammo were on display, said members of the Caribbean Search Unit and Flying Squad detectives, swooped down on the school shortly after 10:00 a.m.
Allegations are that the ammunition and guns were found in one of the lavatories at the school. They were concealed in cornmeal, wrapped in rubber tubes. Among the pistols were two Taurus 9-mm, a 9-mm Heckle and Koch, one Ruger and .45 9-mm.
Corporal Troy Anderson pointed out that the Ruger pistol was robbed from a licensed firearm holder on November 19, 2001. Reports are that the licensed firearm holder was held up by three men downtown Kingston, who also robbed him of over $200,000.
The ammunition include 143 9-mm rounds, 129 7.62 rounds, 78 .45 rounds and nine magazines for various guns. Yesterday's success has pushed the number of guns seized since the start of this year to 380.
Head of the Flying Squad Department, Deputy Superintendent Cornwall "Bigga" Ford, said that while nobody has been arrested, his team will be conducting further investigation to establish who or which gangs the weapons and ammunition belong to.
"This is a dent on the activities of the criminal gang responsible for the weapons," said DSP Ford.
