CHERAS – An Israeli national has been arrested with six guns of various types at a hotel in Jalan Ampang, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Checks by the authorities found that the 38-year-old man entered Malaysia via Kuala Lumpur International Airport with a French passport on March 12.
“During questioning, the suspect produced another passport which was issued by Israel. The six guns were found in a bag in his hotel room,” Razarudin said during a press conference here today.
He said the suspect claimed he came to Malaysia to find an Israeli citizen to kill supposedly due to a family issue.
He added that the suspect did not want to reveal his true job and did not rule out if the man was linked to Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
He also said authorities here had been hyper vigilant since the Israel-Palestine war broke out, especially when it came to ensuring the safety of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and other dignitaries.
“We don’t fully believe what this suspect is telling us, maybe he has another agenda because he has been here since March 12. We found that the weapons were bought using cryptocurrency.
“Investigations are ongoing to find out how guns could be brought into Malaysia – and who is the smuggler and who paid for it.
“The suspect knew he arrived in Malaysia before he made the order for the firearms, I believe it was because his flight went through the United Arab Emirates before reaching Malaysia.”
The top cop added that among the brands of pistols seized were Glock Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer and Stoeger.
Police also believe that the suspect is not alone and has acquaintances here.
“We have not identified the others. We will also check the authenticity of his passport with the French embassy.”
The case is being investigated under Section 12 of the Passports Act 1966 and Section 7 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971. – March 29, 2024