Police do about-face on 'replica' arms
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.