ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — The St Catherine South Police are reporting that a handgun, which has the fire power of a rifle, was one of two firearms seized during increased operational activities last week.

The high-powered handgun, a Zastava Serbia Tokarev pistol, was seized at the scene of a fatal shooting in Central Village in the parish on last Friday, the police said.

“At the time, detectives disclosed that it was the first of its kind to be seized in the island. Subsequent enquiries have revealed that the handgun, which was used in eastern Europe and Asia until the late nineties, uses 7.62 calibre ammunition—which is similar to what is used in high-powered rifles.

“This makes the handgun extremely dangerous, and detectives are following leads to trace its arrival on the island,” the constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) said in a press release a short while ago.

Also during the week of activities, which the police said included targeted raids and cordon and search operations, four persons of interest were arrested and several other people were charged for various breaches.

According to detectives, three of the four persons of interest were arrested in operations in various communities in Portmore. The fourth was held outside of the division through coordinated efforts. It is believed that the men may help detectives with their investigations into various crimes in the division, including murders and robberies.

Meanwhile, 10 people were arrested in the Portmore area for breaching the regulations governing the nightly curfew and the hosting of events under the Disaster Risk Management Act.

They were charged and are booked to appear in the St Catherine Parish Court later this month. Four of them will answer to additional charges under the Noise Abatement Act.

CCU said the full results of the activities are as follows:

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]Four persons of interest in recent murders and shootings in the division arrested.[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]One Zastava Serbia Tokarev firearm and one imitation firearm seized[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]188 assorted rounds of ammunition seized[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]10 people charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Regulations[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]156 persons warned for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Regulations.[/naviga:li]

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