Police arrest 4 suspects for illegal firearms possession

Leony Aurora , Jakarta

The Jakarta Police apprehended four suspects for illegal possession of firearms during a drugs operation last week.

A number of firearms were also recovered from the suspects

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo told a media conference on Wednesday that one of the suspects, Ready Hermawan, 49, claimed that the weapons belonged to his deceased father. But he was unable to produce permits for them.

"He said his father was a member of the Indonesian Military," Prasetyo said.

Based on a tip-off from informants, an undercover narcotics officer lured two of the suspects, Boyke Praman Jaya Runturambi, 31, and Dermawan Walandauw alias Sinyo, 42, to enter into a drug deal in a hotel in Kemang, South Jakarta, on May 15.

They were arrested on the spot. The police confiscated one 9 millimeter pistol, one 22 millimeter pistol, one pen gun, 612 bullets of various calibers, 41 blanks and two magazines.

Boyke and Sinyo led the police to Ready, the alleged owner of the ammunition, from whose house 253 more bullets were confiscated. The rifle and two more magazines were seized at the house of Ready's friend, Totok Setiadi, 45, who was arrested on May 16.

The police failed to find drugs in any of the suspects' homes.

"The suspects will be charged with Article 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on the illegal possession of firearms," said Prasetyo. The minimum sentence upon conviction is five years imprisonment, he added.

Prasetyo said the suspects claimed they were going to sell the firearms, but that they had never sold arms before. He refused to give more details about Ready's father.

The police also displayed 2.55 kilograms of shabu-shabu (crystal amphetamine), 4,849 ecstasy pills and 150 grams of heroin that were seized during three operations between late March and early May.

Six suspects, all Indonesian citizens, have been arrested for the possession of the imported shabu-shabu and ecstasy pills, which are estimated to have a total street value of Rp 700 million (US$777,777). They will be charged under Articles 60 and 62 of Law No. 5/1987 on psychotropic substances.

A Nigerian, Elijah Obinna Oluah al Holloboy, was arrested at a hotel in West Jakarta on March 30 in possession of 50 grams of heroin. Separately, an Indonesian, Jodi Sofyan, was apprehended on May 1 with 100 grams of heroin. Both of them will be charged under Chapter 78 of Law No. 22/1997.