Thursday's recovery of a Uzi submachine gun in Greater Portmore is being hailed as the continuation of a drive by the St Catherine South police division to rid its streets of illegal firearms.

Last year saw a national record of 92 guns recovered in the division, 24 more than the 68 found in 2010.

St Catherine South also saw a marked reduction in the number of murders last year - 24 - ironically matching the increase in guns recovered. This, the division's top lawmen believe, is no coincidence.

A total of 149 murders were recorded in the division in 2011, compared with 125 in 2010. Senior Superintendent Colin Pinnock, commanding officer of the division, along with his superintendent in charge of operations, Clive Blair, said the key to saving 24 more lives in 2011 was the recovery of those 24 additional guns.

"The use of guns, firearms, is one of the main sources of our problems. Most murders in this country are committed by use of the gun. In reducing murders, we had to remove the weapon of choice from these criminals," he said.

Pinnock, who has had command stints in tough west Kingston and St Andrew south, is ably assisted by Blair, a 2007-2008 St Catherine South veteran who knows the terrain well.

"That success came by way of intelligence gathering, curfews, cordons and searches, and spot checks," Blair told THE PORTMORE STAR.

"Recovering 92 weapons means the police gathered good intelligence. Most of these were proven to be correct, in terms of locating these guns, because some were found on premises and in spot checks. The level of intelligence gathered over the period resulted in this huge success," Blair said.

The St Catherine South Division continues to be complemented by assistance from the Mobile Reserve and other national bodies within the Jamaica Constabulary Force. It is renowned for its robust Criminal Investigation Bureau, led by Detective Inspector Paul Thomas, acting crime officer for the division.

With its special squads such as the Street Crimes Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Team revved up for another year, Blair said the thrust remains the same for 2012.

"This year, the aim is to recover as many guns as possible and persons wanted for various crimes in the division, plus an increase in road activities. The concern is that guns and drugs move all over the island on our roadways, so we have to increase road policing," he said.