According to Thai police, 12 people were detained on June 9 as part of a nationwide crackdown on the illegal arms trade. Officers confiscated 18 firearms and over 30,000 rounds of ammunition.
Those apprehended range in age from their early 20s to 50s and were captured during operations in Bangkok and several other provinces in the past week, as stated by Police Major General Wittaya Sriprasertparb, who commands the Crime Suppression Division (CSD).
This action is part of a national campaign initiated on March 21, aimed at dismantling criminal networks, mafia groups, and armed gangs. This campaign has resulted in 32 raids, 16 arrests, and the confiscation of 23 firearms along with 564 rounds of ammunition.
Focusing on online arms trafficking, the CSD launched an operation named Operation Endgame: Bullet Express on June 5, which targeted 22 locations in Bangkok and other provinces.
The raids resulted in the seizure of six semi-automatic pistols, five single-barrel shotguns, five single-shot rifles, one revolver, one homemade gun, and a total of 31,538 rounds of ammunition, according to Pol. Maj. Gen. Wittaya.
The 12 suspects face charges of colluding in the possession or sale of firearms and ammunition for commercial purposes without a licence. They have been transferred to police investigators for further legal proceedings.
The CSD intends to broaden the investigation to apprehend additional people involved in the network.
A notable suspect arrested this week, identified as Ritthichai, is recognised as a long-time firearms enthusiast with legal permits for several guns. However, he allegedly exploited his legal ownership to acquire significant quantities of ammunition from various private dealers, reselling them online without a licence since 2022. Most of this ammunition was reportedly produced domestically, reported Bangkok Post.
In similar news, a well-known university lecturer, 41 year old Visut, has been taken into custody for allegedly smuggling firearms into Thailand while evading customs procedures at port checkpoints. He is accused of obtaining as many as 24 gun permits and running a firearm shop located inside a military compound.
The story Thai police seize firearms, arrest 12 in illegal arms crackdown as seen on Thaiger News.
