San Salvador, September 8 (teleSUR-RHC)-- A Salvadoran federal court ordered the arrest of a retired colonel accused of illegal possession of firearms he allegedly was planning to sell to violent gangs that operate in the Central American country, a source said Monday.

Roberto Pineda was the head of the now dismantled Customs Police (PH) at the end of the 1980s.  The PH was one of the government's security forces accused by a U.N. truth commission of being responsible for various war crimes and human rights violations.

The 12th Justice of the Peace in San Salvador held a preliminary court hearing against the retired colonel and two of his children, Rodrigo and Claudia Pineda Rodriguez. All three are accused of illegal possession and sale of firearms.

"At the end of the hearing, the judge ordered detention against the retired colonel, who will be taken to the Metapan penitentiary,” a court press office said in a statement.

The judge also ordered a travel ban against the retired army official and prohibited him from moving from his current address. In the case of Claudia Pineda, the judge ordered her presence at the next hearing.

The retired army official and his son were arrested on Thursday at their home in the Salvadoran capital. When police stormed his house, they found various weapons that are restricted for military use only.

According to a press release, among the weapons seized at the ex-colonel's home were two Uzi sub-machine guns, a .22 rifle, a 12 gauge shot gun, munitions and seven grenades.

El Salvador has been hit by a wave of homicides and violence that has been compared to the civil-war era of the country. Most of the homicides have been attributed to gang violence.

Homicides increased by 67.3 percent during the first eight months of 2015. The total number of murders reached 4,246 in August, making the country one of the most dangerous in the world.

Recently, the national government has revealed information linking the right-wing ARENA party to violent gangs in El Salvador with an intention to destabilize the country.