Police targeting illegal online firearms trade after earlier anti-mafia campaign
Pol Maj Gen Wittaya Sriprasertparb, head of the Crime Suppression Division, inspects a seized weapon during a briefing on Tuesday in Bangkok. (Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham) Twelve suspects have been arrested with 18 guns and more than 30,000 rounds of ammunition seized as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal firearms trading, Thai police said on Tuesday.
The suspects, aged between their early 20s and 50s, were apprehended during operations in Bangkok and other provinces over the past week, said Pol Maj Gen Wittaya Sriprasertparb, commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD).
The crackdown followed a national campaign that was launched on March 21, aimed at dismantling criminal networks, mafia groups and armed gangs. That campaign led to 32 raids, 16 arrests and the seizure of 23 firearms and 564 rounds of ammunition, he said.
CSD police then zeroed in on online arms trafficking with an operation codenamed Operation Endgame: Bullet Express, on June 5, targeting 22 locations in Bangkok and other provinces.
The raids led to the seizure of six semi-automatic pistols, five single-barrel shotguns, five single-shot rifles, one revolver, one homemade gun and 31,538 rounds of ammunition for various weapons, said Pol Maj Gen Wittaya.
The 12 suspects have been charged with colluding in possessing or selling firearms and ammunition for commercial purposes without a licence. All have been handed over to police investigators for legal action, said the CSD commander.
The CSD plans to expand the investigation to arrest other suspects involved in the network, said Pol Maj Gen Wittaya.
One key suspect arrested this week, identified only as Ritthichai, was found to be a longtime firearms enthusiast who had legally obtained permits for several guns. However, he exploited legal ownership to acquire large quantities of ammunition from various private dealers. He then resold the ammunition to customers online.
Mr Ritthichai had been operating this illegal business since 2022, despite lacking a licence, said the CSD commander, adding that most of the ammunition was found to have been domestically produced.
