Pistol and ammo found in Jurong West flat, 2 men arrested

A pistol loaded with four rounds was recovered from a Housing Board flat in Jurong West Street 72 after a man suspected of illicit drug activities led the police and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers to the unit.

The authorities also found another four rounds in his home, they said yesterday at a press conference.

The police and CNB said the origins of the firearm - believed to be a Seahawk pistol - is still being investigated.

Superintendent Aaron Tang, director of the intelligence division at CNB, said two Singaporean men, aged 24 and 25, were arrested in connection with the find.

Narcotics officers have come across cases where drug offenders are sometimes prepared to resort to violence, even using firearms, he said.

In an operation in August when 110 suspected drug offenders were arrested, CNB recovered weapons including parangs, a baton and a taser, along with various illicit drugs.

"This (the pistol) poses a clear and present threat to society, and it also poses a danger to our front-line officers who need to enforce the law," said Supt Tang.

The two men were arrested in a joint operation held on Tuesday and yesterday.

CNB had acted on information that the two suspects were involved in "illicit drug activities" and were in possession of firearms.

The last discovery of a person in possession of illegal firearms was in 2009, when lorry driver Low Hua Choon was found with a loaded semi-automatic pistol hidden in his vehicle.

Low, then 42, had been caught delivering duty-unpaid cigarettes in July that year when the pistol was discovered.

He later told the court, through his lawyer, that he was given the pistol by a friend and did not know how to dispose of it.

Low was sentenced to 121/2 years' jail and 17 strokes of the cane for unlawful possession of a firearm, ammunition and contraband cigarettes.

Like Low, the two suspects could be jailed for at least five years and be given at least six strokes of the cane if found guilty of unlawful possession. Both would face the same sentence, as any person who is found to be in the company of someone who has unlawful possession of a firearm or ammunition is liable to the same sentence as the person possessing the illegal items.

The police were called in for assistance, and officers from both agencies arrested the 24-year-old in Jurong West Street 72 on Tuesday.

He then led the officers to his flat, where the pistol and ammunition were found.

The second man was arrested at about 2.25am yesterday in Woodlands Street 13, after further investigations revealed that he had knowingly remained in the company of the younger man despite being aware of the firearm.

No drugs were found on the two men, and results of their urine analysis are pending.

Superintendent Daniel Wong, deputy head of the special investigation section in the Criminal Investigation Department, said there is nothing to indicate that the gun has been fired in Singapore.

The Straits Times understands the pistol is not commonly found here, as it is not a model approved for the Olympic shooting sport and is also not used by the authorities here.

Police front-line officers, for example, are issued the .38-calibre Taurus revolver.

Singapore Shooting Association president Michael Vaz said the pistol model does not qualify for the Olympic shooting events, and is hence not allowed at the National Shooting Centre.

This is understood to be the first case involving the illegal possession of firearms since 2009.

The two suspects will be charged in court today.