Police investigations into the haul of war weapons seized in Nakhon Ratchasima on Monday will be expanded to locate the source of money used to procure them.
This large quantity of firearms, including assault rifles, magazines and various types of ammunition, were seized during a raid by security authorities on a house belonging to Noppadol Petchmadan, 42, in Nakhon Ratchasima. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
Provincial Police Region 3 acting chief Pisant Julladilok said the arrest of Noppadol Petchmadan followed investigations into the red-shirt linked "Khon Kaen model" armed network, which the suspect is allegedly connected to.
Mr Noppadol, 42, was taken before the media Wednesday at the Provincial Police Region 3 office to answer charges relating to possession of war weapons after the raid on his home in Nakhon Ratchasima on Monday. The cache seized comprised four M-16 assault rifles, six other automatic rifles, including one AK-47, two machine guns, a shotgun, a firecracker launcher, an M-79 grenade launcher, two bulletproof vests and various types of ammunition.
Many grenades were also discovered.
The weapons and munitions were all reported to be brand new.
Pol Lt Gen Pisant said the investigation team would look into the source of money used by Mr Noppadol to buy the weapons.
The suspect is an employee of a private firm and earned extra income by selling goods.
It was deemed to be unlikely the kind of money required to buy such a large cache of weapons could be earned by Mr Noppadol, said the Police Region 3 acting commissioner.
Some of the weapons bore registration numbers and the symbols of certain state agencies which police would use to track down Mr Noppadol's suppliers.
By identifying the source of funding for the weapons, police hope they will locate the mastermind behind the operation.
During his interrogation, Mr Noppadol denied any involvement with the "Khon Kaen model" armed network.
He claimed he was well-known among many people in the weapons trade, including soldiers, police and government officials.
He admitted to procuring weapons of various prices ranging from 5,000 baht to 20,000 baht apiece.
On May 23, military forces raided an apartment in Muang district of Khon Kaen and arrested 22 people who were allegedly planning to launch a violent response to the coup in Khon Kaen and other northeastern provinces.
Soldiers linked those arrested to hardline red shirts.
Since then, authorities have arrested more suspects and implicated Mr Noppadol.
They have also seized more weapons from other provinces.
Assistant army chief Phaiboon Khumchaya, who oversees legal and judicial affairs for the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said the deadline for handing over illegal arms and explosive devices to authorities would not be extended.
After the deadline, which expired Wednesday, those possessing illegal firearms would be arrested and face legal action, Gen Phaiboon said.
Deputy police chief Pol Gen Somyos Phumpanmuang said a large quantity of illegal firearms, including 59 war weapons, 32 rifles, 228 pistols, 33,884 rounds of ammunition, 332 hand grenades and 182 grenades and 356 parts of weapons, have been returned to authorities, in the period between June 19 and Monday.