Illegal Papua Arms Network: 17 Suspects, 13 Have Reached Stage II
Jayapura (ANTARA) – The Damai Cartenz Task Force and the Papua Police’s General Criminal Investigation Directorate have processed 17 suspects in an illegal firearms and ammunition network uncovered since March 2026. Thirteen of them have reached Stage II.
Damai Cartenz Operations Public Relations Task Force chief, Senior Commissioner Yusuf Sutejo, said in Jayapura on Thursday that two other suspects had reached Stage I, while two remained under investigation.
“We have also successfully detained 17 people suspected of involvement in this illegal firearms and ammunition smuggling network,” he said.
The 13 suspects whose cases have reached Stage II are SP, who is suspected of acting as a buyer of firearms and ammunition; OB, suspected of financing and buying weapons and ammunition; and YP, suspected of providing funds.
MKM is suspected of acting as a firearms broker; DK, KO and SM as brokers in firearms and ammunition; HM as a seller of ammunition and magazines; AKW as an ammunition supplier; NH as a funder; HLT as a supplier of ammunition to AKW; and YK and AG as brokers in firearms and ammunition.
LNR and BEI, who are suspected of acting as firearms and ammunition brokers, have reached Stage I.
The two other suspects still under investigation are YYS, also known as OS or K, and IHB, also known as H. Both are suspected of acting as intermediaries in the firearms and ammunition network.
IHB, who was wanted in connection with the case, was arrested by a joint team from the Damai Cartenz Task Force and the Papua Police’s General Criminal Investigation Directorate in Padang Bulan, Heram District, Jayapura City, on Tuesday (6 October).
The investigation into the network was developed from a police report dated 13 March 2026.
In the series of operations since March, officers seized 298 rounds of ammunition, four long SS1 magazines, one short SS1 magazine, one locally made firearm and six rusted gun barrels dating from the Second World War.
Yusuf said the joint team was continuing its investigation to uncover other links in the illegal firearms and ammunition network in Papua.