TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Navy has come under fire after reporting two firearms incidents as legislators slammed the military over management loopholes.
Navy Command said on Wednesday (March 8) that the bolts for two T91 assault rifles at the 99th Marine Brigade had gone missing, while a .45 ACP pistol at a training facility at the Navy’s Education, Training and Doctrines Development Command was found to be a “replica toy gun.”
A task force has been formed to probe into the cases as the Navy ordered a comprehensive inventory check of its weaponry.
Citing the account of a former serviceman handling logistics, RW News reported that the .45 ACP handgun was found to be missing at a recruit training center in Pingtung last May. To cover it up, the then battalion commander surnamed Lin (林) allegedly instructed the center’s personnel to replace it with a fake one purchased from an Airsoft gun store.
Legislators across the political spectrum on Thursday (March 9) blasted the military for the incidents due to apparent negligence and poor management. Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party criticized the Navy for what he said was an intolerable mistake passing a mock pistol off as a real one and flagged safety risks the incident poses to social order.