Jamaica aims to raise minimum gun sentence to 20 years

Jamaica's National Security Council (NSC) has recommended that persons convicted of illegal firearm possession face a new minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. In a press release on Sunday, the NSC said the recommendation is in line with its commitment to refine the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022 (Firearms Act) to make it tougher while protecting the innocent and vulnerable. What's more, adults who groom children to use, store, transport, or acquire illegal guns will face a new criminal offence under proposed amendments to the Firearms Act, the NSC said, noting that "this is necessary to address the gap whereby gangs seek to recruit and enlist minors in the commission of gun crimes." The NSC said it also agreed that further consideration should be given to how cases involving children found with illegal firearms are handled. "The concerns raised regarding imitation firearms will be clearly addressed to distinguish between toy guns and guns designed to realistically imitate a weapon. The review will also examine matters surrounding firearms with expired licences," the release stated. It added that before the new provisions take effect, the Government will provide a gun amnesty and cash buy-back programme, giving anyone holding an illegal gun the opportunity to surrender it. The Ministry of National Security and Peace has been directed to have the draft legislation ready by the end of November 2026 for wider consultations, according to the release. Chairman of the NSC, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, said the amendments strengthen the law while keeping it fair. “We have seen what criminals are capable of, and we will not stand by while they put guns in the hands of our children,” he said. “We are determined to send a strong signal against illegal guns and those who promote them, while making sure the law is fair to the most vulnerable. Make no mistake, this administration is drawing a line in the sand against gun crime, and we are determined to eliminate the gun culture from our society.” Cocaine Seizures in August 2026 The NSC said it also received a briefing from Commissioner of Police, Dr Kevin Blake, on the intensified effort to interdict and seize illegal drugs entering Jamaica. The Jamaica Constabulary Force has seized 8,734.37 kilograms of cocaine since the start of the year. That amounts to 74 per cent of the 11,852.01 kilograms seized over the 10-year period between 2016 and 2025, the release noted. The NSC commended the security forces and the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) for their work in keeping the country safe by finding and recovering illegal drugs, weapons, and other contraband. The NSC noted that, given the effective closure of various drug trafficking routes by US operations in the region, there will be greater attempts to use Jamaica’s geographic location for transshipment. "It was made clear that we will not allow our country and our sovereign territory to be used for illicit activities," the release stated, adding that Jamaica will continue to intensify its cooperation with international and regional partners and strengthen maritime, air, and port interdiction efforts. Dealer and Demonstration Licence Plates The NSC said it received an update from Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) on its proposed new regime for issuing Dealer and Demonstration Licence Plates, which it said are now being unlawfully used as permission to regularly operate vehicles on public roadways without permanent registration and vehicle identification. "This facilitates scammers and other criminals in the commission of crimes and provides an avenue to evade taxes," the release said. The NSC has directed that the current plates be discontinued and that a new form of temporary vehicle identification be considered for the specific purposes of demonstration or dealer transit. It was recommended that the new system be electronically enabled to link the plate with the specific vehicle to which it will be temporarily assigned and that the identification plate itself be GPS- and RFID-enabled. "This will ensure control of the plates issued and enable the police to immediately verify the dealer to whom the identification plate was issued, the particulars of the vehicle assigned to it, and the location of the plate should it be suspected of involvement in an incident," said the NSC. The new system will network the TAJ, the Island Traffic Authority (ITA), the JCF, and the JCA, allowing for easier cross-verification. Sligoville Operation The NSC said it received a briefing on the police operation in Sligoville and extended condolences to the relatives and colleagues of the brave officers, Corporal Trevoy Shaw and Constable Devoney Rose, who were killed in the line of duty. The prime minister said the Sligoville incident demonstrates the dangers police face on a daily basis. “As a Christian nation, we regret the loss of life of any citizen; however, we pay particular honour to those who lose their lives in the line of duty to keep us safe. We also commend the careful actions of the security forces to ensure that the lives of innocent children were spared,” Holness said. “There still exist criminals who will go to the extreme of putting their own families’ and innocent children’s lives in harm’s way to shield themselves." The commissioner of police advised that the Sligoville operation was one of many intelligence-driven operations targeting some of the most dangerous criminal terrorists in the country, the NSC said, adding that the police chief noted that these groups are organised, heavily armed, well-resourced, and highly networked. He reportedly said they integrate themselves into communities and oftentimes exert influence over them, enlisting the support of unsuspecting community members. The commissioner explained that the JCF has a well-developed intelligence and operational system to track and interdict these criminal terrorists. The NSC directed the JCF to bring forward its planned operations and intensify its push to eradicate these criminal terrorists and their networks from our society.