Smuggled weapons confirmed as replicas<\/p>\n
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Three days after examining evidence, Jakarta Police confirmed on
\nMonday that hundreds of weapons smuggled through Tanjung Priok
\nsea port last week were not real firearms, but replicas.<\/p>\n
\"The smuggled weapons which the police had taken last Thursday
\nfrom the customs office at the port turned out to be replicas,
\nnot real firearms as people thought,\" city police detective chief
\nSr. Comr. Mathius Salempang announced on Monday.<\/p>\n
He added that the police only needed general examinations, and
\nnot ballistic tests, to confirm that the weapons were only
\nreplicas.<\/p>\n
He did not explain the presence of confiscated bullets.<\/p>\n
Replica guns, even though they look very much like real ones,
\nused pellets.<\/p>\n
\"Although the weapons were not real, the law on firearms
\nconsiders them as real weapons. Therefore, we will be charging a
\nperson, FA, with violating Law No. 12\/1951 on state emergency,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
To possess replica guns, civilians must register with the
\npolice although the requirements are less complicated than for
\nfirearms owners.<\/p>\n
Gun owners must undergo an annual assessment of their
\nsuitability to possess a firearm, including target shooting and a
\npsychiatric test. Only certain civilians are permitted to own
\nweapons, including lawyers, bank directors and high ranking
\nministerial or administrative officials whose work is deemed
\nrisky. But they are only permitted to own registered firearms of
\nless than .32 caliber, or 7.65 mm. Higher caliber firearms are
\nlicensed only to police and military personnel.<\/p>\n
Separately, the director general of customs and excise Eddy
\nAbdurrachman insisted that the weapons were real and not toys.<\/p>\n
\"The import order said they were plastic toy guns. But we
\ncategorized them as firearms, not toys,\" he said. \"That's why we
\nhanded over the investigation to the police as it is their job.\"<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Finance's Customs Directorate on Wednesday
\nfound 492 Carl Walter 7.65 mm pistols, 60 Smith & Wesson
\nSpringfield guns, blank bullets and silencers.<\/p>\n
The customs office said arms smuggling was usually done in
\nsmall quantities and via airports.<\/p>\n
The weapons had been packed in 41 boxes shipped among plastic
\nguns. The import order, dated Nov. 25 made by PT GM toy importer,
\ndeclared that the contents of the container imported from Taiwan
\nto be plastic toy guns.<\/p>\n
In another haul, custom officials seized 300 6mm semi
\nautomatic air pistols. The air pistols were shipped from Taiwan
\nand were imported by PT CPI. The company also claimed in the
\nimport documents that the goods were toys.<\/p>\n
The importer, FA, will be charged for violating customs law,
\nwhich carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and\/or a
\nmaximum fine of Rp 250 million (US$27,700). He has also allegedly
\nviolated Emergency Law No. 12\/1951, which carries the death
\npenalty.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/smuggled-weapons-confirmed-as-replicas-1447893297",
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