Kupang Police seize firearms, ammunition from foreigner

A foreigner participating in an international sailing competition was apprehended by police officers in Kupang on Thursday for carrying two firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition.

Kupang police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Nugroho said on Friday that the man, identified as 62-year-old Robert D. Bush of the U.S., was part of the yacht race on the route Darwin-Kupang-Alor- Riung. The officers, he said, had seized Bush's two shotguns.

"In the examination, Bush confessed to possession of the firearms for self-defense," Agus said, adding that the man did not have a permit for the weapons. One of the weapons is a 12- gauge Benelli shotgun and the other a 12-gauge Winchester shotgun.

Agus went on to say, "the officers are still investigating to find out the man's real reason for carrying guns". The American's case, he said, was the only one so far among the participants of the international sailing competition.

"The police will continue to find out whether other participants are also carrying firearms," he avowed.

In February, an Australian yachtsman Christopher Packer was sentenced to three months in jail by the Denpasar District Court for his failure to declare six firearms to local port authorities.

The court found the Australian guilty under article 10 and 14 of an emergency 1936 law on firearms possession, and for intentionally not reporting firearms to the port authorities.