Police shoot two alleged gun dealers

JAKARTA (JP): Police shot two men for resisting arrest after they tried to sell guns to a plainclothes detective in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, on Monday afternoon.

The suspects were identified as 23-year-old Syarif and 35-year-old Robin alias Agus Dahlan, both residents of Kampung Pluis in North Grogol of South Jakarta.

Syarif was shot in his left thigh and Agus in his chest.

"The two have long been targets of our surveillance and when one of our fellow police detectives pretended to inquire about a gun, they suddenly learned that they were being trapped so they tried to flee," a police detective, who declined to be named, said.

Syarif and Agus are being treated at Soekanto Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta.

Police confiscated an FN pistol, a Colt revolver and 15 bullets from the men.

Police said the suspects sold the guns illegally for between Rp 10 million (US$1,175) and Rp 12 million each.

Syarif and Agus also are suspected of being members of a vehicle theft group which often operates on quiet streets, targeting lone drivers and hijacking the vehicles before dumping the drivers on toll roads.

"We first put them as wanted vehicle thieves, but later we found out that they were also selling guns," the officer said. (emf)