Police do about-face on 'replica' arms

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

After close to two months of denial and secrecy, Jakarta Police finally admitted on Wednesday that the 534 guns they seized at Tanjung Priok Port last Dec. 1 were real firearms, not replicas as they had previously claimed.

They also announced that they had completed the dossiers of the suspects, who include an employee of the customs and excise office and the gun importer, who is the owner and director of PT GM.

City Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said they were now processing the case according to the relevant laws, as all guns found at Tanjung Priok were lethal weapons.

"All of the guns can be categorized as firearms because they meet the right criteria. We will proceed with the case and gather more evidence," Firman said at the city police headquarters on Wednesday.

City police general crimes unit deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sigit confirmed that the guns were not replicas as had previously been announced.

"After thorough examination, we conclude that they are all real firearms, not replicas. With slight modifications, the guns can be used to kill people. We have detained the suspects and seized the guns," said Sigit.

He did not say how many suspects were involved in the gun smuggling.

Sigit said the police were wrapping up the case file and would submit it to the prosecutor's office soon.

He refused to disclose the names of the suspects.

All suspects have been charged with Article 103 of Law No. 10/1995 on customs and excise, which carries a maximum punishment of five years' imprisonment, and Article 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on illegal guns, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise Office had seized on Dec. 1, 31 boxes of 15 models of guns with thousands of bullets unloaded with plastic guns from a Taiwanese ship YM Moji.

The customs and excise office announced earlier that the guns were real, but city police did not confirm whether they were guns or plastic toys as claimed by the importer.

Later, however, the national police headquarters announced that the guns were replicas, but Wednesday's announcement should lay to rest the debate over whether the guns are real or replicas.

Police authorities said earlier that around 100,000 illegal guns were circulating in Jakarta in 2004, most of which were in the hands of criminals.

According to the Jakarta Police, robbery cases using guns increased from below 100 cases in 2003 to 201 cases in 2004.