KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The police have detained eight more individuals, including three foreigners, in separate operations conducted in both the city and Johor on Thursday and Friday (April 4 and 5) to facilitate the investigation into an Israeli national who was arrested with six firearms at a hotel in Ampang on March 27.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain stated that the detainees comprised five local men, two Turkish nationals, and one Georgian man, aged between 29 and 60, adding that they have been remanded for one week from the date of their arrest.

"The two men arrested in Johor are believed to have played a role in procuring firearms for the suspect,” he said when contacted.

As a result of this arrest, six others were detained, comprising two Turkish men aged 29 and 40, and a 39-year-old Georgian man, he said.

"One of the detained Turkish nationals possessed a Polish passport and an American passport. The arrests were as a result of investigations conducted by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) on cryptocurrency payments used to purchase firearms,” he said.

Razarudin announced that the recent arrests, including the Israeli man, have brought the total to 16 individuals, who have been apprehended in cooperation with the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Kuala Lumpur Contingent CID, CCID, and the Special Branch.

The 36-year-old Israeli man was caught trying to enter Malaysia via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 12 using a French passport.

The firearms seized from his hotel room included a Glock 19 Marine, Glock 17 Gen 4, Smith and Wesson, Sig Sauer, and Stoeger, along with 200 rounds of ammunition.

Subsequently, police apprehended four individuals, including two women in Skudai and Gelang Patah, Johor, a married couple aged 42 and 40 in Kuala Selangor, and a local man aged 38 in Cameron Highlands, Pahang.

It is believed that the latter served as the driver for the Israeli man implicated in the case. — Bernama