Boy said that there were indications that illegal firearms used in the recent incidents had been smuggled into Jakarta from the Philippines and Thailand.

“Our country has many unguarded small ports that could serve as entry points for smuggling contraband,” he told reporters.

There were 78 armed robberies in Greater Jakarta in 2009, while the police have recorded 65 armed robberies to date this year.

The robberies ranged from relatively small incidents, such as when crooks shot three people in Cibubur, East Jakarta, to the recent major gold heist in Tebet, South Jakarta.  

The 1951 Emergency Law stipulates a maximum penalty of 12 years imprisonment for those convicted of illegal possession of firearms.

Gun licenses were previously issued to civilians who worked for conglomerates or government officials, but police stopped issuing those permits in 2005.

The police said the most popular firearms on the city’s black market were revolvers, FN and Beretta automatic pistols.

City police have confiscated 43 guns from dozens of suspects arrested for several crimes, including armed robbery, to date this year.

Seven FN pistols were confiscated from 11 suspects who were arrested in connection with a string of robberies in Greater Jakarta and Karawang, West Java.

In a robbery in Tebet, South Jakarta, 16 armed assailants allegedly stole 8.5 kilograms of gold from three jewelry stores in the Bukit Duri traditional market.

The National Police’s Mobile Brigade unit chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahmad Rifai said the gang’s members could assemble their own guns, according to the preliminary investigation.

“They probably assembled their pistols early this year,” Ahmad said, adding the quality of the pistols matched factory-made weapons.

“We are still determining how they could make FN pistols of such high quality.”

City Police crime and violence unit chief  Adj. Sr. Comr. Nico Afinta said the suspects could assemble and use firearms because many of them were previously boar hunters in Lampung province.

Indonesian Police Watch (IPW) chairman Neta Pane said there were several ways to obtain an illegal firearm.

“There are a total of 17,000 licensed firearms across the country — which are now illegal since the licenses were revoked in 2005,” he said, adding that there were 3,000-5,000 illegal guns in Jakarta and 2,000 in North Sumatra.

The remaining 10,000-12,000 illegal firearms were still scattered throughout the country, he said.
“These firearms could be misused or redistributed,” he added.

Neta also said that there were “assemblers” who prepared contraband guns for resale on the city’s black market.

Jakarta is home to illegal home workshops, where experts can build guns from the components taken from damaged firearms, including police firearms, Neta added.

Parts from 10 different damaged guns can be combined to make a new pistol, he said.

“People can easily buy an illegal gun — as long as they have money and a link to the black market,” Neta said, adding that the least expensive pistol on the black market costs Rp 20 million (US$2,220).

“One could find a source from prisoners involved in armed robberies,” he said.

Neta said an increase in armed robberies is common in the run-up to Idul Fitri, when a large amount of cash circulates in the country.  

(rch/ipa)

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