Soldier held with illegal gun

A member of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) was yesterday arrested by a police patrol in downtown Montego Bay after he was allegedly held with an illegal firearm.

The JDF private was identified as 24-year-old Jhoneil Blidgen, of a Manchester address. He is based at the JDF's Burke Barracks at Flankers in Montego Bay.

He is now facing a charge of illegal possession of a firearm.

Two men who were in the company of the soldier at the time of the alleged incident were taken into custody for questioning.

ROUTINE PATROL

According to the Montego Bay police, at about 1:45 a.m., a police team was carrying out a routine patrol in downtown Montego Bay when they stopped a Toyota Corolla motor car with three men on board. The men were ordered to exit the vehicle.

While the men were being searched, the police said they discovered that Blidgen had a Black Springfield, Smith and Wesson 9 mm pistol, fitted with a magazine with 12 live rounds of ammunition, tucked in the front of his pants. It was ascertained, after questioning, that the weapon was illegal.

Blidgen is the second Montego Bay-based member of the JDF to be arrested for illegal possession of a firearm in recent weeks.

In early October, 26-year-old private Orane Samuels Scott, who resides at Crescent district in St Catherine, but was a member of the Zone of Special Operations team based in Mt Salem, was arrested after he was allegedly held with an illegal firearm in Crescent district.