JCA Receives Training in Weapons and Ammunition Management

Ten graduates have successfully completed the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) Training Programme on weapons and ammunition management, aimed at strengthening border security and improving the safe handling and storage of firearms and ammunition across the region.

The graduation ceremony was held on Friday (May 8) at the Jamaica Customs Agency’s (JCA) Training Branch located at the Jamaica Foreign Trade Zone (JFIZ) Building in Kingston.

In his remarks, Senior Director of Non-Intrusive Inspection and Security Management at the JCA, Kingsley Henry, said the programme strengthened the participants’ technical capacity and reinforced regional cooperation in tackling illicit firearms trafficking.

“Effective armoury and ammunition management is critical to our national security, institutional integrity and public trust,” Mr. Henry said, while delivering remarks on behalf of Acting Chief Executive Officer/ Commissioner, JCA, Kirk Benjamin.

Mr. Henry noted that the programme equipped officers with the knowledge needed to uphold international standards and improve operational readiness.

He emphasised that the training extends beyond technical procedures and carries significant implications for national and regional security.

“We all know the reality we face in the Caribbean. Illicit firearms and ammunition continue to fuel violence and organised crime. When weapons fall into…the wrong hands, the consequences are felt not just in statistics, but in families, neighbourhoods, and lives forever changed,” he added.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Border Protection Division, JCA, Marlon Lowe, underscored the critical role customs officers play within Jamaica’s national security framework.

“As officers of the Border Protection Division, you operate at a critical point in Jamaica’s national security architecture. Our ports, airports, and other points of entry are not only gateways for legitimate trade and travel, but as you all know, there are also spaces that can be exploited by criminal networks seeking to move illicit firearms, ammunition, and other prohibited items,” Mr. Lowe stated.

He noted that the training forms part of broader regional and international efforts to combat the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, Assistant Director for Policy Strategy and Innovation, CARICOM IMPACS, Callixtus Joseph, commended the graduates and highlighted the importance of accountability and proper weapons management practices.

“Every firearm must be properly controlled. Every round of ammunition must be properly accounted for. Every movement, storage, decision, handover, and disposal process must be supported by clear procedures, accurate records, and responsible oversight,” Mr. Joseph said.

He also encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge gained during the training in their daily operations.

“First, uphold the standards, the standards you have learned…The values of this training will be measured not only by what was learned this week, but by what is implemented consistently after…,” Mr. Joseph added.

Team Lead, Container Security Initiative International Field Office Jamaica, United States Customs and Border Protection, Charlene McFarlene, commended the collaboration among regional and international partners.

“The United States and the U.S. Embassy in Kingston is proud to partner with Jamaica in these efforts to disrupt criminal networks here and across the Caribbean by helping Jamaica use its own resources to effectively protect its stockpile from illicit diversion,” she said.

The training programme was conducted through collaboration among the Jamaica Customs Agency, CARICOM IMPACS, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Caribbean, and the United States Embassy.