Pasir Mas district police chief Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir said the 34-year-old man, his father, 68, and mother, 61, were detained by policemen from the district task force and the Pasir Mas narcotics criminal investigation division intelligence and operations team at about 9.30pm.

“The three individuals were at home during the raid. At the back portion of the double-storey house, the personnel found a pearl white vase covered with a yellow-coloured plastic.

“Upon further investigation, police found one component of a firearm, a revolver-type air pistol and five live bullets,” he said today.

He said police also seized another component of a firearm, three mobile phones and two vehicles – a Suzuki Swift and Volkswagen.

“During preliminary interrogation, the son denied ownership of the air pistol and bullets or knowledge of their presence in the vase. All three were arrested and taken to the Pasir Mas district headquarters, together with the seized items,” he said.

Nasaruddin said further investigation revealed that the 34-year-old, who worked as a trader of contraband cigarettes, rice and clothes, had 17 cases on his criminal record, including in drug-related cases.

He added that the case will be investigated under Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960.