230 ‘wanted’ illegal firearms linked to 662 cases locally – DCP Bailey | Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

As the police continue to carry out ballistic tests on firearms seized so far to link them to specific crimes, there are approximately 230 ‘wanted’ firearms associated with more than 660 shooting incidents.

In fact, several of the weapons – both those seized and wanted, appear to have been repeatedly used by criminals to commit a raft of serious offences.

The disclosures were made by two of the island’s top police commanders at the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) press conference last week.

Earlier at the press briefing, it was released by Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, that 392 firearms have been seized in the first half of 2022.

But, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Fitz Bailey, who is in charge of the crime portfolio, a number of firearms remain on the nation’s streets in the hands of criminals.

“Since the beginning of the year, we have had 595 hits from crime scenes by firearms,” he said.

“We have systems whereby we categorise firearms as wanted firearms. We have actually linked 57 recovered firearms to 163 cases, and there are 230 wanted firearms that are linked to 662 cases.

That’s where we are at now,” the DCP continued.

“Last year, at this time, it was 538 hits that we made. Currently, we have made more hits since the beginning of this year than last year,” he added.

In responding to the statistics revealed by his counterpart, Anderson said: “So what you find from that data is that clearly weapons are being used and used again by criminals…

“… And it (the data) forms part of our whole investigative strategy that we use in determining that when we actually seize them (the illegal fireams),” he informed.

The commissioner said for the weapons seized so far, their ballistics will be taken and compared.

The JCF, he said, will then utilise its “software that can tie firearms and their uses to particular cases and so on.”

Aside from that procedure, Anderson said the constabulary also works with its “overseas partners to look at the source of these firearms and who may have sent them to Jamaica.”

He elaborated that, “It’s an end-to-end process, and we have had convictions recently in the US from joint investigations that are done between us (the JCF) and the police forces in the US.

“We work with the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) in the US and their databases, to also track these weapons,” Anderson indicated.

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