Five experts in homemade arms nabbed in Ranau

 

Simiun Lomudin (second from left) showing the 20 homemade shotguns, air rifles and marble rifles which were seized in the police raids.

RANAU: Police have arrested five men believed to be “experts” in making homemade firearms in several raids around town recently.

Twenty homemade shotguns such as “bakakuk” and “ginsuk”, air rifles and marble rifles (an improvised weapon that uses gas pressure to shoot marbles) as well as dozens of ammunition rounds were seized in the raids.

Ranau district police chief Simiun Lomudin said the first arrest was of a 30-year-old suspect at a house in Kampung Kigiuk on Sept 10. Two shotguns, along with 11 shells, 30 air rifle pellets and firearms-making equipment were seized.

“Police continued their operation by raiding several other locations around the district and detained four more suspects aged between 29 and 57.

“Police managed to seize seven ‘bakakuk’ barrels and 11 rifle barrels along with live ammunition and air rifle pellets,” he said in a press conference at the district police headquarters today.

Simiun said the case was being investigated under Section 7 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment and a whipping upon conviction. - FMT