Married couple, civil servant detained for possession of firearms

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 5  -- Police have arrested a married couple and a civil servant in Kota Tinggi for possession of firearms and bullets.

Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Supt Ahsmon Bajah said the couple aged 47 and 55, were arrested two days ago in a hut located at the Poh Cong palm oil plantation at Jalan Kota Tinggi-Johor Bahru, while a 41-year-old civil servant, who was their friend, was arrested at 2.38 am yesterday in Taman Saujana based on information obtained from the couple.

"Police have confiscated four shotguns, a homemade air rifle, 23 buckshot (bullets for shotgun) and two packets of marbles. From initial investigations, two of the shotguns belonged to the couple while the other three and the 23 bullets were owned by their friend (the civil servant)," he said in a statement today.

Ahsmon said the suspects bought the firearms for RM700 and used them for hunting purposes.

In another development, Ahsmon noted that the Commercial Crime Investigation Division of the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters received 25 reports against a company that allegedly failed to manage the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage packages after receiving payments from their clients.

He noted that the company owner, a man in his 40s, allegedly received payments of RM322,493 from 48 victims around Kota Tinggi district and had failed to arrange visas for Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage packages as promised.

"The victims has lodged police reports at several other contingents such as Pahang, Perak and Kedah. The police will open investigation papers under Section 420 of the Penal Code for fraud," he said.

-- BERNAMA