The five suspects comprised four, identified by their initials as RWH, DJ alias Joni, RN, and MA, who were arrested on Monday (Feb 22), and R arrested on Tuesday (Feb 23), Deputy Chief of the Papua Police Brig. Gen Pol. Matheus Fakhiri stated here on Friday.
One suspect DJ, alias Joni, is a formal personnel of the Indonesian Army, he remarked.
The police seized 42 ammunition of various calibers, two firearms, airsoft gun, and cash allegedly to be utilized to purchase more firearms.
The syndicate obtained the weapons from Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province, Fakhiri stated.
The arrest was made after the joint team probed the person allegedly supplying firearms to the Papuan armed group. However, no further information was available as to which group were the weapons planned to be distributed.
Nabire Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Kariawan Barus revealed that the police had earlier arrested MS for the supply of firearms to the armed group. He confessed to obtaining the weapons from Sanger Talaud in North Sulawesi and recently sold a firearm in Manokwari.
Barus noted that the police had seized four firearms from MS allegedly obtained from the Philippines.
Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen. Pol Paulus Waterpauw earlier indicated that Nabire had become an entry gate for weapons sold to the Papuan armed groups.
The firearms were allegedly sourced from the Philippines and smuggled through Sanger Talaud in North Sulawesi. Related news: Joint team thwarted firearm trade in Papua's Nabire: Police
Related news: Police officer in Papua arrested for allegedly selling firearms
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Translator: Evarukdijati, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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