Police foil arm smuggling

Police foil arm smuggling

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Police say they have managed to stop
several attempts to smuggle weapons from the Philippines to the
province over the past month.

"The weapons were to be sold in riot-torn Maluku, according to
the suspects we have arrested," the provincial police chief,
Brig. Gen. Erald Dotulung, told Antara here on Wednesday.

He said during one raid, police seized 170 bullets and
arrested eight people. In the latest operation on Feb. 23, the
police confiscated four FN pistols and a rifle.

A joint-operation with the Indonesian Navy on Tabukan Utara
islands, Sangihe Talaud district, resulted in the seizure of 11
rifles.

Erald said in handling the smuggling cases the provincial
police would seek help from the Philippine Consul General here.