Cops raid east Kingston gun shop

Senior police investigators are now trying to identify the mastermind behind a suspected gun shop which operated out of premises along McWhinney Street, near the Tower Street Adult Centre, in east Kingston.

Yesterday, the police stumbled on to the gun shop during a routine operation and seized seven firearms, 25 loaded magazines and 33 rounds of ammunition.

According to an official report, police operatives from the Trans-national Crime and Narcotics Division, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Mobile Reserve, the Caribbean Search Centre and the Kingston Eastern Division were conducting the operation when the guns and ammunition were discovered.

A 48-year-old woman was taken into custody for questioning following the seizure.

However, inner-city sources say firearms are offered for rent and ammunition sold by thugs operating in the area.

Yesterday, stony-faced residents of McWhinney Street watched the police operation in silence. No one was willing to speak to members of the media.

The police also refused to add anything to the official report.

Up to December 26, the Jamaica Constabulary Force was reporting that it had seized 674 illegal firearms and more than 34,000 rounds of ammunition.

That includes 19 guns and more than 11,000 rounds of ammunition seized on Munster Road in east Kingston in February.

It was later discovered that the guns and ammunition were stolen from the police armoury.

More than 40 guns were seized in the immediate aftermath of the May 24 west Kingston incursion.

Last year, 558 illegal guns and 6,000 rounds of ammunition were seized up to December 26.

Guns, ammo seized

One 0.45 semi-automatic pistol, two mack 11 sub-machine guns, two glock 40 pistols, two beretta 9mm pistols; as well as thirty 0.380 cartridges and three 12-gauge cartridges.

Twenty-five fully loaded magazines of varying sizes were also seized.