Israeli claims trial to trafficking 6 guns, possessing 158 bullets

Israeli claims trial to trafficking 6 guns, possessing 158 bullets

No bail is granted to Shalom Avitan following his plea.

Shalom Avitan being escorted by personnel from Bukit Aman’s serious crimes unit (D9) at the Kuala Lumpur court complex.
KUALA LUMPUR:
An Israeli national has pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here to trafficking six guns into Malaysia and possessing 158 bullets.

Shalom Avitan was slapped with the charges under Section 7(1) of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act for trafficking the guns, and Section 8 of the Arms Act for possessing the bullets.

The guns cited in his possession are a Glock 19 USA, Sig Sauer P320SP, Glock 17 Gen4 Austria 9×19, Smith & Wesson M&P 9C, and two Stoeger Cougar 8000s.

The bullets Avitan allegedly possessed are one box of Shell Shock NAS3 9mm (eight bullets) and three boxes of Bullet Master Co Ltd (150 bullets).

He allegedly committed the offence at a hotel in Jalan Ampang here between March 26 and 28.

If found guilty for gun trafficking, Avitan could face a jail term of between 30 and 40 years and a maximum six strokes of the rotan.

The maximum punishment for possession of bullets is seven years jail, a fine of no more than RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

Judge Tasnim Abu Bakar did not grant bail to Avitan and fixed May 21 for mention.

Lawyers Jeffrey Ooi and Navinjit Singh appeared for Avitan while deputy public prosecutor Mustafa P Kunyalam appeared for the prosecution.

On Monday, a couple alleged to have supplied Avitan with the firearms was charged in the Klang sessions court over the possession of a 9mm pistol.

Syarifah Faraha Syed Husin was charged with possessing the gun, while her husband, Abdul Azim Yasin, was charged with consorting with his wife by carrying the weapon.

It was reported that Avitan is an associate of the Musli brothers crime family.

Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said he had entered the country using a French passport, but when pressed further by the police, handed over his Israeli passport.

He reportedly came to Malaysia to assassinate Eran Haya, the purported leader of a rival criminal group who is also in Malaysian police custody.

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