Jamaica’s National Security Council (NSC) is recommending a new mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years behind bars for persons convicted of illegal possession of firearms.

The recommendation was revealed in a release on Sunday, which noted its alignment with its commitment to refine the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act, 2022 (Firearms Act), strengthening it while protecting the innocent and vulnerable.

The existing mandatory minimum sentence for illegal possession of a firearm stands at 15 years.

The release also includes proposed amendments to the Firearms Act to specifically address adults who groom children to use, store, transport, or acquire illegal guns. “This is necessary to address the gap whereby gangs seek to recruit and enlist minors in the commission of gun crimes,” the statement read.

The NSC was also in agreement that further consideration should be exercised in cases involving minors found with illegal firearms and how they 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.

The release also shared a caveat before coming into effect: noting the provision of a gun amnesty and cash buy-back programme, giving anyone possessing an illegal gun the opportunity to surrender it.

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, as per Nationwide News

The Jamaica Constabulary Force has seized 8,734.37 kilograms of cocaine since the start of the year. The release noted that this amounts to 74 per cent of the 11,852.01 kilograms seized over the 10-year period between 2016 and 2025.

The security forces and the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) were also commended for their work in keeping the country safe by finding and recovering illegal drugs, weapons, and other contraband.

The Security Council also acknowledged the expected increase in attempts to use Jamaica’s geographic position given the effective shutdown of key routes for gun and drug trafficking.

“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 also said it received an update from Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) regarding its proposed new regime for issuing Dealer and Demonstration Licence Plates, which it states have been unlawfully used as permission to 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 Council has proposed the discontinuation of the current plates, with a new form of temporary vehicle identification to 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.”

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.” 

Commissioner Blake also advised that the Sligoville operation was among several intelligence-driven operations targeting some of the most volatile criminal terrorists in the country, the NSC said. The police chief further noted that these groups’ level of organisation, resources and network connections are well organised, as per the Jamaica Observer.

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.