Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

AMOS

Some 551 illegal firearms have been recovered by the police since the start of the year, the statistics department of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) disclosed yesterday.

While figures for the number of weapons found in all 19 police divisions were not available at press time, 65 of these guns have been found in the St. Andrew South police division, which is headed by Superintendent Newton Amos.

Superintendent Amos told The Gleaner yesterday that his jurisdiction continues to hold the dubious distinction for having the most illegal firearms.

He said five more illegal guns were seized this week. They include a Mossberg 20-gauge shotgun, a Taurus .357 magnum and a 9-mm calibre assault rifle.

Four persons have been charged with illegal possession of these firearms.

The breakdown of the types of illegal guns seized so far this year is: pistols (205); home-made (136); revolvers (106); rifles (26); submachine guns (15); and, 13 shotguns.

The St. Andrew South Police Division is one of the most violent in the country. It encompasses communities such as Whitfield Town, Payne Land, Waterhouse, Majesty Gardens, Greenwich Town and Olympic Gardens.

Approximately 1,411 assorted rounds of ammunition have also been recovered there by police. Last year, 106 illegal guns and 1,068 assorted rounds of ammunition were seized in the division.

"We have seen the situation take a dip in the first two and quarter months of the year, because we have seen a great, great reduction in gun-related murders," said Mr. Amos. "What remains a challenge is recovering ammunition which is smaller so it is easier to conceal."

The police report that approximately 693 illegal guns were brought in by law enforcement in 2005. The figure for 2004 was 620.