1,107 bullets found under Bogor bridge

BOGOR (JP): Four bags containing 1,107 bullets believed to be ready for illegal sale have been found under Cimande Bridge in Bogor regency, a military official said here on Wednesday.

The chief of the Bogor City Military, Lt. Col. Suratmo, announced that the live bullets were for FN 45, FN 46, Colt 38 and Ficker pistols.

"All of the bullets are in prime condition," he said.

"The bullets were produced by (state ammunitions company) PT Pindad in Bandung between 1990 and 1997," Suratmo disclosed.

The discovery, he said, was based on a tip-off from a resident who was fishing under the bridge on Tuesday at midnight.

"By accident, this man spotted a plastic package neatly placed at a hidden site under the bridge," Suratmo said.

Suspicious, the man went over to the plastic bag and opened it.

"He was stunned to realize the bag was full of bullets."

The resident reported his finding to a local military officer who was posted in the neighborhood. The officer then informed Suratmo's office of the discovery.

A team of military officers was assigned to comb the area and later found three more bags of bullets.

"The plastic bags were found at separate places under the bridge," Suratmo said.

No one has been arrested in relation to the discovery of the live bullets.

Early this month, police in South Jakarta with the help of their colleagues in North Sumatra and West Java arrested 12 men, including two soldiers, for allegedly possessing guns and bullets without permits.

From them, police seized 5,306 rubber and conventional bullets, 22 revolvers and rifles, and eight magazines. A truck loaded with seven kilograms of marijuana, allegedly to be used as tender for the weapons, was also seized as evidence.

Police said the ammunition was about to be supplied to members of the Army of the Free Aceh Movement (AGAM) on the northern tip of Sumatra.

The case is still under investigation. (21/bsr)