DANGEROUS WEAPONS: Jamali showing the two gas-powered rifles seized from the brothers.
SERIAN: Three brothers claiming to be farmers were arrested for possession of air rifles, gas-powered rifles and a homemade shotgun.
District police chief DSP Mohd Jamali Umi said the brothers, aged 22 to 43, were detained at an unnumbered house at Mile 34 Kuching-Serian Road, near here on Monday.
“Acting on a tip-off, personnel from Serian CID and the state Major Crimes Division raided the house at 3am and arrested three brothers aged 22, 38 and 43 years.
“A search produced two homemade gas-powered rifles, an air rifle purchased from a neighbouring country, a homemade shotgun, and nine shotgun cartridges,” he revealed during a press conference at district police headquarters here yesterday.
The siblings, who claimed to be farmers, have been remanded for three days to facilitate investigation under Section 8 of the Firearms Act 1960.
Jamali said police have so far found no evidence of the trio being involved in gangsterism or other criminal activities.
“None of the brothers had a criminal record, and they claimed to be farmers. We will continue to probe their background to determine what the rifles were used for,” he added.
This was the second time Serian police recovered dangerous weapons following the discovery of a pistol, live ammunition and other dangerous weapons at an oil palm plantation in Balai Ringin on Sept 30.
Jamali said police have increased the number of drug checks in the district following a rise in drug cases. They conducted 348 checks so far this year – an increase of 64 from last year – and detained 152 addicts.
He also revealed that five persons had been sent to Simpang Renggam detention centre under the Special Prevention Measures since 2011 for ‘small-time’ drug-dealing activities.
Among those present at the press conference were chief of District Special Branch, ASP Aldrin Junaidi Kutoi; chief of District Narcotics, Inspector Leong Wai Han; chief of District Traffic and Public Order, Inspector John Sabadurai; head of District Management Department, Inspector Biby Ibas; CID officer Inspector Daram Ruer and head of Serian Police Station, Inspector Mohd Nizam Bujang.