KUALA LUMPUR – An Israeli man, Shalom Avitan, was sentenced to seven years in prison by a Malaysian court on February 26 after pleading guilty to the unauthorized possession of six guns and dozens of bullets. Avitan, 39, was arrested in March 2024 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and charged with firearms trafficking and possession, while a married Malaysian couple faced charges of supplying him with the weapons.
Authorities reported that Avitan claimed his presence in Malaysia was to pursue another Israeli citizen over a family dispute. The incident raised suspicions about his motives, leading to investigations into whether he was linked to an Israeli crime ring or engaged in espionage activities, particularly since Malaysia and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations.
Avitan arrived in Malaysia from the United Arab Emirates on March 12, 2024, traveling on a French passport. He was apprehended by Malaysian police at his Kuala Lumpur hotel on March 27 with a bag containing firearms and later presented an Israeli passport during interrogation.
During the trial, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court accepted Avitan’s guilty plea and ordered that his seven-year sentence commence from his arrest date, March 28, 2024. Avitan will serve his sentence at Kajang Prison, located on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, according to his lawyer, Datuk Naran Singh.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the diplomatic tensions between Malaysia and Israel and the implications of international security linked to illegal arms trafficking.