Police nab suspected weapons smuggler

Police nab suspected weapons smuggler

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The Jakarta Police have detained a suspect for allegedly
smuggling 552 illegal weapons into the country, the biggest haul
this year, through Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta.

"The suspect, identified as F, is the owner of an import
company," said the city police detectives chief Sr. Comr. Mathius
Salempang on Thursday. "I can't say more as I am still counting
the weapons here as evidence."

Tanjung Priok Customs and Excise Office handed over the
smuggled weapons to the police as evidence for further
investigation.

The Ministry of Finance's Customs Directorate found on
Wednesday 492 Carl Walter 7.65 mm pistols in 11 different models
and 60 Smith & Wesson Springfield guns in three different models.

The customs office said usually arms smuggling was done in
small quantities and via airports.

The weapons had been packed in 41 boxes shipped among plastic
guns. The import order, dated Nov. 25 made by PT GM toy importer,
said the contents of the container imported from Taiwan were
plastic toy guns.

Customs officials found the container on board the ship YM
Moji V.13 S from Taiwan. Officials became suspicious when the Hi-
Co Scanner at the seaport customs office detected metal in the
container. They searched it and found the guns and thousands of
rounds of ammunition inside.

"The importer has violated the customs law, which carries a
maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a maximum fine of
Rp 250 million (US$27,777). He has also violated Emergency Law
No. 12/1951, which carries a maximum sentence of death," Eddy
Abdurachman, director general of customs and excise, said on
Wednesday.

The value of the smuggled weapons, however, remains unknown.

In another haul, custom officials seized 300 6mm semi
automatic air pistols. The air pistols were shipped from Taiwan
on board the Wan Hai 206 S155 and were imported by PT CPI. The
company also said in the document that the goods were imported
toys.

Only certain civilians are permitted to own weapons including
lawyers, bank directors and high ranking ministerial or
administrative officials whose work is deemed risky. But they are
only permitted to own registered firearms of less than .32
caliber, or 7.65 mm. Higher caliber firearms are licensed only to
police and military personnel.

Last year, about 800 civilians were registered in the city as
gun owners, while registered civilian firearm owners number 9,702
nationwide.

Gun owners must undergo an annual assessment of their
suitability to possess a firearm, including target shooting and a
psychiatric test.