Banten Police Hunt Supplier of Illegal Homemade Firearms from Ship Passengers
Serang (ANTARA) - Banten Regional Police are hunting the main supplier in the case of possession of an illegal homemade firearm, a revolver type, which was seized from two passengers from Bakauheni Port, Lampung.
Banten Police Chief Inspector General Hengki, in a press conference at the Banten Police Criminal Investigation Directorate Hall in Serang on Thursday, stated that they have designated a person with initials SA as a wanted person (DPO) who acted as the seller of the firearm.
“Based on examination results, the firearm was obtained by purchasing from a person with initials SA, who is currently a DPO, through the intermediary of suspect RH,” said Hengki.
The case disclosure began with the arrest of suspects KB and RH on Saturday night (7/3). The two were apprehended by officers just after crossing from Bakauheni Port, Lampung, to Merak Port, Banten.
During an examination using an X-ray machine at the Executive Pier of Merak Port, officers detected a suspicious object inside suspect KB’s backpack.
After a search, officers found one homemade firearm along with five rounds of 9-millimetre calibre ammunition hidden in a plastic package.
“The motive of the two suspects is purely to gain economic profit,” said the Police Chief, accompanied by Banten Deputy Police Chief Brigadier General Hendra Wirawan and other main officials.
In this case, investigators seized evidence consisting of one homemade firearm, five bullets, one black bag, and a mobile phone from suspect KB, as well as one mobile phone unit from suspect RH.
For their actions, the two suspects are now detained and charged under Article 306 in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, with a maximum prison sentence threat of 15 years.
Banten Police also urge the public not to get involved in the possession or circulation of illegal firearms and to report immediately via the 110 Call Center if they find anything suspicious in their surroundings.