KUALA LUMPUR – Israeli national Shalom Avitan has arrived at the courts complex here to face charges, following his arrest on March 27 and the seizure of six guns and about 200 rounds of ammunition.
Dressed in a plain black T-shirt with khaki pants, a handcuffed Avitan reached at about 8.10am in a Black Maria vehicle escorted by heavy police presence, including members of the Special Actions Unit who were armed and clad in balaclavas.
Bukit Aman’s criminal investigation department chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain was also spotted making his way into the court building, where media members were stationed from as early as 7am today.
It is understood that Avitan, 38, will be charged under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 for firearms trafficking.
It was previously reported that Avitan had been found with six guns, including a Glock, Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer and Stoeger, as well as hundreds of bullets when he was arrested at a hotel in Jalan Ampang, here.
A Malaysian husband and wife were later arrested on suspicion of supplying Avitan with the firearms.
Police said the weapons were procured here after he entered the country on a French passport. The weapons were also bought using cryptocurrency.
Earlier this week on Monday, an unemployed married couple claimed trial at the Klang sessions court to illegally possessing firearms linked to Avitan’s arrest.
Sharifah Faraha Syed Husin, 41, was accused of illegally possessing a CZ75 P-01 CAL.9 Luger gun while her husband Abdul Azim Mohd Yasin, 43, was accused of being with her, putting him in the circumstances of having knowledge of his wife’s illegal gun possession.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain previously said Avitan had paid more than RM60,000 to purchase six firearms from the couple, who were believed to have smuggled in the weapons from Thailand.
Foreign media have claimed that Avitan was an associate of the Musli brothers crime family, a notorious Jewish mob, and is said to have come here to assassinate the head of a rival gang.
Razarudin however, said on April 2 that probes were still being carried out into Avitan’s claims he had come to Malaysia to assassinate another Israeli named Eran Haya due to “family issues”.
The IGP also said police were not dismissing the possibility of the Israeli being a spy.
Malaysia and Israel have no diplomatic ties. – April 12, 2024