A MAN was jailed for 14 years for possessing five pistols and ammunition by a deputy judge who said that the use of guns was prevalent in Hongkong. Cheuk Chung-lim, 31, was arrested four months after he and a gang of robbers were involved in a shoot-out with police. He was the type of person who had made Hongkong such an unsafe place to live in, Deputy Judge W. Wong said. Cheuk pleaded guilty. His counsel, Mr John McLanachan, said after Cheuk was arrested he led police to a flat in Mongkok where more pistols and ammunition and a silencer were found. A co-accused, Lee Sai-wah, 31, who pleaded guilty to robbery, conspiracy to rob, assault and false imprisonment was jailed for 91/2 years. His counsel, Mr Wong Po-wing, said the offence was committed when his client's fashion business in Shenzhen failed, leaving him with debts of about $200,000. Senior Crown counsel Mr Joseph Yau said that on March 21 last year, Mr Ho Siu-kei went to collect his BMW car from a Yau Ma Tei car park when a man pointed a semi-automatic pistol at him. Lee appeared holding a knife, threatened Mr Ho and pushed him into the back seat of the car. He was tied up and gagged and put into the boot. The car was driven off. Mr Ho untied himself and when the car stopped tried to run away, but was caught and assaulted. A few hours later, a police motorcyclist saw the BMW. He tailed the car until it stopped at traffic lights. The driver of the car got out and ran off when the officer shouted at him to stop. The man in the passenger seat pointed a gun at the officer, who sheltered behind a bus and fired. Cheuk fired at the officer and there was an exchange of fire. The men in the car got out and raced off. The officer had run out of bullets and did not give chase, Mr Yau said. Lee was arrested nearby and stocking masks, labourer's gloves, bank passbooks and 412 yuan (HK$555) were found on him. He said they had driven Mr Ho's car to Shamshuipo to pick up three people, including Cheuk. They planned a robbery. Cheuk was arrested four months later and a Chinese-made type 54 semi-automatic pistol, a Chinese-made type M20 pistol, a pistol magazine and ammunition were found in his possession. He then led officers to a flat in Mongkok where other weapons were found in a drawer.
