A TOTAL of 201 firearms were seized by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) from 2022 till last January, reported Utusan Malaysia.
It is leant that the firearms involved were smuggled into the country to be sold to gangs and criminals involved in drugs and smuggling cases.
Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, said it involved 41 firearms seized in 2022, 59 firearms (2023), 70 firearms (2024), and up to January (31 firearms).
He said investigations found that the seized firearms were believed to have been purchased from neighbouring countries bordering Malaysia.
"They (the firearms) are believed to have been smuggled into Malaysia through unregistered routes.
"Various methods were employed by smugglers to bring firearms into the country, including hiding them in vehicles that enter from neighbouring countries," he told Utusan Malaysia.
According to Razarudin, the smugglers also used public transportation to bring in the weapons.
"In fact, they use fishing boats and merchant ships, hiding firearms inside them to evade detection by the authorities."
"Firearms were also detected being hidden with imported goods through jungle and river routes along the Malaysian border," he said.
He said among the items seized were Sig Sauer pistols, Glock, Smith and Wesson, and M4 rifles.
Since 2022 until last January, the police have also arrested 106 individuals found possessing and smuggling firearms.
"The number of arrests involved 26 individuals detained in 2022, 35 in 2023, 33 in 2024, and 12 more in January this year.
"We will intensify operations to detect illegal firearm ownership to maintain national security and public order," he said.
On February 8, the country was shocked by a shooting incident at a shopping mall in Setia Alam, which resulted in a cleaner worker being injured by four gunshots in the leg and buttocks.
It was found that the suspect in his 30s has nine criminal records, including one drug-related case and seven robbery cases.
The suspect was shot dead by the police at a hotel in Pulau Ketam on February 18. – March 17, 2025
