East Java Police Foil Arms Smuggling to Papua’s Armed Group
Surabaya. The East Java Police have successfully intercepted an arms smuggling operation supplying firearms and ammunition to the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) in Puncak Jaya, Papua.
East Java Police Imam Sugianto said the case was uncovered following an investigation stemming from arrests made by the Papua Police.
"The case in Papua led us to a weapons supplier in Bojonegoro, East Java," Imam Sugianto said during a press conference at the East Java Police Headquarters on Tuesday.
Authorities have arrested seven suspects across multiple provinces, including East Java, Papua, and the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). Among them are two former Indonesian military personnel from the Kasuari Military Command, identified as YE and ES, who were arrested by the Papua and West Papua Police.
"Their arrests revealed that the firearms were being manufactured in Bojonegoro," Imam added.
Further investigations led East Java Police to arrest three more individuals: TR, who acted as a supplier and distributor of weapons and ammunition; MK, who operated the firearm assembly machines; and PJ, the gunsmith. Another suspect, AP, was arrested in Sleman, Yogyakarta, for storing the illegal weapons and ammunition.
Papua Police Chief Inspector General Petrus Patrige Rudolf Renwarin, speaking via Zoom during the press conference, reported that police seized 982 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, including:
- 42 rounds of 5.56 mm
- 198 rounds of 5.6 mm
- 152 rounds of .30 caliber
- 197 rounds of 7.62 mm
- 14 rounds of 9 mm
In addition, officers confiscated five firearms, consisting of two homemade Fajar rifles and three handguns.
Renwarin said that no active military or police personnel were involved in the smuggling ring. However, he warned of strict consequences if any personnel were found selling firearms to the KKB.
"If any military personnel are caught selling firearms to armed groups, they must face the ultimate punishment—execution—because they are fully aware that these weapons will be used to kill their own comrades in conflict zones," Renwarin said.
Earlier, authorities raided a house in Kalianyar Village, Bojonegoro, suspected of being an illegal weapons workshop. The operation, carried out by East Java Police and the National Police's special task force, took place on Saturday and lasted nearly 10 hours. During the raid, officers found a woman, the wife of the house’s owner, along with two men believed to be working in the workshop.
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