Part 7/13:
Between 1960 and 1970, firearm-related crimes surged, with hundreds of cases annually. During this period, Singapore issued licenses for certain citizens—like civil servants and military personnel—to carry weapons. However, within the criminal underworld, possessing firearms elevated status and power. The criminal syndicates devised clever methods to assemble and smuggle guns, including stealing parts of guns from factories, smuggling weapons in from neighboring countries, and even assembling firearms in secret workshops.