Malaysian, Cook Island expats charged with having firearms, ammo
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Malaysian, Cook Island expats charged with having firearms, ammo
PORT MORESBY: Two expatriates, a 62-year-old man and a 59-year-old
woman, were separately charged in the Alotau magistrate’s court last week with
possessing unlincensed firearms and ammunition.
Both the cases were reported by The National:
Charged over
unlicensed firearms
September 22, 2021The
NationalMain Stories
By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
TWO expatriates, a 62-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman, were
separately charged in the Alotau magistrate’s court last week with possessing
unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
In the first case, alleged illegal firearms dealer Huong Haw Chin, a Malaysian
businessman from Sarawak’s Sibu, pleaded not guilty in the Alotau magistrate’s
court to four charges of possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunitions
Police confirmed with The National that Huong was arraigned by
senior magistrate Rebecca Kwayaila who fixed Sept 27 for hearing to commence.
Also in the same court, Vaine Marsters, a widow from Cook Islands, was also
charged with the same offence but her plea was not taken.
Kwayaila adjourned hearing to Oct 4.
In just 10 days, police investigators picked up both Huong and Marsters in
different locations with firearms in their homes.
Police Comm David Manning told The National that
investigations into the firearms and explosive detonators found in both homes
were still in progress.
In the case of Huong, police alleged that he had been registering and obtaining
firearms and licences for buyers via illegal means.
Several firearms were found in the property he occupied but there were no
proper legal documents to assist police to verify whether the firearms and
ammunitions were brought through proper means.
For Marsters, police also seized 150 pieces of explosive detonators, 250 rounds
of live ammunition of various calibres and a telescopic Winchester sniper
rifle.
“The widow led police to the seizure of the explosives and igniters, ammunition
and firearm,” Comm Manning said.
“The widow from Rarotonga has been staying illegally in Papua New Guinea after
her visa expired on Feb 4 last year,” Comm Manning added.
He said the uncovering of the explosives and ammunition followed a robbery that
occurred in the widow’s house on Sept 5.
“The investigation was led by police intelligence officers from the National
Capital District and the Southern mobile group special services division
policemen who pursued the case despite the challenges,” Comm Manning said.
“Police launched investigations that revealed the firearm and ammunitions taken
were unregistered, with the firearm classified as dangerous with the capability
of discharging several 9mm calibre rounds within seconds.
A week ago, police recovered the firearm and ammunitions at about 10am in
Mutuyuwa village in Alotau.
Police returned to the widow, who upon further questioning, led them to a local
construction company office, which was also her residence, where police
recovered the explosives and live ammunition in the company safe.
“She did not want to explain how those dangerous explosives and ammunition were
kept in the office,” Comm Manning said.
Police have charged Marsters under the Firearms Act and the Migration Act.
Comm Manning said the five firearm licences for Nawae Construction Ltd (in
liquidation) were revoked after the expiry of the licences.
The five firearms seized from the company office are:
- SSB handi-rifle S/N:
HH423985;
- RSA Ruger S/N: 23480774;
- RBA Lithgow S/N: 1520191;
- PSA Sig S/N: B265343; and,
- PSA heckler and koch rifle S/N: 127491.
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