CRIME Suppression Department’s Hanuman unit mounted raids in Bangkok and various other provinces to smash an illegal online firearm trade network but initially only revealed the arrest of the administrator with other details withheld for now, PostToday reported this morning (June 18).
At 6 a.m.this morning CSD chief Pol Maj Gen Jiraphop Phuridech sent out the Hanuman unit policemen and police forensic staff to search 31 targeted spots in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Sakaeo, Tak, Chon Buri, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima and Surat Thani provinces.
The most important raid was at a townhouse in Bang Bua Thong district of Nonthaburi province, which the unit had found out was the hideout of Mr Prinya Iamlamai, a suspect wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the criminal court on the charges of holding weapons without permission and colluding to sell them to unauthorized people.
Upon being arrested Prinya admitted to having launched the online network to sell weapons but denied producing them. Found at his townhouse were two pistols which had been reviewed and this post circulated on social media.
This arrest arose after this unit was tipped off that there is a online network selling illegal self-produced firearms.
A police spy had infiltrated the network and upon finding out that this information was true asked the court for search and arrest warrants leading to this arrest.
However police said they would reveal the details of the raids at various other places later.
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Top: The suspect after he was arrested early this morning. Photo: PostToday