Almost 5,000 suspects have been arrested and large numbers of weapons and methamphetamine pills seized during a 25-day police crackdown on crime in lower northern provinces ahead of Sunday’s constitution referendum.
Provincial Police Region 6 commissioner Chonnasit Watthanawarangkura on Friday said a total of 4,972 suspects in 4,483 cases have been arrested and 340 weapons and 136,294 speed pills seized during the police operations in nine lower northern provinces under the jurisdiction of the police region 6 between July 11 and Aug 4.
The nine provinces are Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Sukhothai, Uttaradit and Uthai Thani.
Those arrested include suspects in 159 old criminal cases, said Pol Lt Gen Chonnasit. Police also seized assets from suspects in Sukhothai, including nine vehicles, land title deeds and bank accounts.
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda earlier orderedpolice countrywide to crack down on criminals ahead of the Aug 7 constitution referendum. The operations particularly targeted illegal possession of firearms and explosives, hired gunmen, influential criminal figures and suspects in both new and old cases.
Pol Lt Gen Chonnasit said police in Provincial Police Region 6 were fully prepared for the referendum, which involves over 9,000 polling units in the region. Rapid deployment teams were on standby.
Police were keeping a close watch in the three provinces of Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet, the region police chief said.
In Kanchanaburi, three men were arrested with weapons and speed pills were seized in separate raids in Muang district on Friday.
Supote Niansanit, 49, Amornthep Kanpai, 27, and Wongsil Suramanee 45 were taken for a media briefing at Lat Ya police station in Muang district on Friday.
Police seized a BB gun and a pen gun from Mr Supote’s house in tambon Lat Ya and a shotgun, 12 bullet rounds and one methamphetamine pill during a raid on Mr Amornthep’s house in tambon Wang Dong.
Two shotguns with 12 bullets, along with 6 speed pills, were seized from Mr Wongsil’s house in tambon Chongsadao, said Pol Col Niphon Chanthong, chief of Lat Ya police station.
The national police chief on Friday issued an assurance that security measures were being put in place countrywide for the referendum on Sunday, with police keeping a special watch in the North to ensure there were no untoward incidents.
Pol Gen Chakthip said police were fully prepared to take care of polling stations and ballot boxes.
In the North, police have been keeping a close watch for possible violations of the referendum law, said the national police chief, citing arrests of violators in Chiang Mai, Lampang and Lamphun provinces.
He confirmed there were no intelligence reports of groups planning activities to cause disruptions on Sunday.
Three arrested suspects are presented at a police media briefing in Kanchanaburi's Muang district on Friday, part of the crackdown on crime ahead of Sunday's draft charter referendum. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)