KOTA BARU: Four people were arrested for illegal possession of pistols in two separate raids at Gua Musang and Pasir Putih here last Friday.
Among the four picked up was a 30-year-old criminal from Pasir Putih, high on the police wanted list for three unsolved cases since 2010 including a murder attempt and assault.
State police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim said the arrest was made following a report lodged by the man's ex-wife back in Aug for alleged firearm possession and threatening her.
He said a team of personnel from the state contingent monitored the suspect's house in Kampung Kulim for some time before they moved in at 4pm.
"The suspect pretended to be asleep when the team arrived and upon checking the premise police found a loaded Beretta .9mm pistol and 16 live bullets hidden under a pillow," he said.
Mazlan said the police were initially responding to the suspect's ex-wife complaint but after a background check, they found that he has been on the police list for several offences.
"Checks showed that he had even jumped bail for an offence in Machang in 2011 and was sought for a few other investigations both in and out of the state," he told reporters here yesterday.
On Aug 24, the suspect had allegedly threatened his ex-wife with a gun and burnt a bullet, causing an explosion outside her house in Cherang Ruku, also in Pasir Putih.
Mazlan clarified that the delay in the suspect's arrest was because he was always on the move.
"The man has been charged under Section 8(a) Firearm and Weapons Act 1960 yesterday but he remains in police custody for investigation into past cases," he said.
Meanwhile, Mazlan said in an unrelated case, police arrested three suspects aged 22 to 29 at a house in Felda Ciku 6 for the possession of a Colt Super .38mm pistol.
He said a team from the police Narcotics division raided the house and checked a car parked outside the house at about 3.30am, before finding the pistol.
"The pistol was kept hidden under the driver's seat and further checks at the boot lead to the discovery of two live bullets. We believed that the suspects are part of a drug distribution syndicate which operates between Pasir Mas and Gua Musang. They are probably the runners," Mazlan said.
He added that all three suspects who tested positive for drug had been remanded to facilitate investigation.