Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
A suspect is detained during a joint police/military operation in Judgement Yard, August Town yesterday.- Photos By Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer
THE SECURITY forces believe they have put a major dent in criminal activity in the hotbed of August Town, St. Andrew, where 13 high-powered weapons, ballistic vests, ammunition and gun parts were found yesterday.
Preliminary investigations reveal that one of the ballistic vests belonged to a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the other to a police man who was dismissed recently.
At least 33 persons, including popular dancehall artiste, Miguel Collins, alias 'Sizzla', were detained for questioning in relation to the gun find and the spate of unrest being experienced in sections of the community.
SECOND MAJOR GUN FIND
This is the second major gun find in the August Town community in less than a month. About two weeks ago the police found three handguns there but nobody was arrested.
The cache of illegal firearms include; six AK-47 rifles, three sniper rifles, one M-16 rifle, two shotguns, one Intratec-Nine sub-machine gun, 58 assorted rounds of ammunition, 11 magazines and a silencer which was fitted to the M-16 rifle, two ballistic vests and two AK-47 butt stocks. There was also a small telescopic lens that was fitted to the Intratec-Nine.
The find has now pushed the number of illegal guns seized since the start of the year to more than 144. Last year over 600 illegal guns were taken from the hands of criminals. Yesterday's find is the largest number of guns to be found at the same time and location, apart from those discovered at the island's ports.
"This has an estimated street value of close to $2 million," said Senior Superintendent Donald Pusey, who led yesterday's operation.
DISCOVERED UNDER GROUND
The weapons were discovered beneath the earth, of a large fowl coop, located in a river bed about 120 metres from the August Town main road. The police said the area is known as 'Sizzla Corner'.
Deputy Commissioner Tilford Johnson who arrived early on the scene, said the success was a result of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas' new strategy to target and concentrate on the five geographical police divisions which have been contributing to the country's high homicide rate.
Corporal Troy Anderson of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) said the exercise was a joint operation between Operation Kingfish, the Special Anti Crime Task Force, the Jamaica Defence Force and Mobile Reserve, which numbered over 115 personnel.
In a release yesterday National Security Minister Peter Phillips commended the lawmen for the massive find.
