Facebook gun sellers arrested in Pathum Thani

Facebook gun sellers arrested in Pathum Thani

Three people allegedly selling guns online were arrested and many weapons seized during raids on three houses in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi and Khlong Luang districts on Tuesday, and shown at a press conference. (Photo by Wassayos Ngamkham)
Three people allegedly selling guns online were arrested and many weapons seized during raids on three houses in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi and Khlong Luang districts on Tuesday, and shown at a press conference. (Photo by Wassayos Ngamkham)

Three members of a gang illegally selling weapons online were arrested and many types of guns seized, along with ammunition and a bulletproof vest, in Pathum Thani on Tuesday.

A team of commando police arrested Witthaya Pakla, 36, his wife Pipat Pakla, 35 and Surasit Khotchasit, 32, during raids on three houses in Thanyaburi and Khlong Luang districts.

Seized from the houses were an M3 submachine gun with a magazine, three 11mm pistols, a .22 calibre pen gun, and 449 rounds of ammunition for M16 and AK rifles and other weapons, four communications  radios, a bullet-proof vest and some parcel boxes.

Crime Suppression Division commander Akkaradet Pimolsri said the arrests followed police receiving information that weapons and bullets had been illegally sold on Facebook by people using the names Kongkiad Chanee, Charnarong Pongsuwan and Nakrop Daen Isan Tai (lower northeast warrior).

CSD investigators tracked their illegal activities online and this led to the arrests of the suspects, said Pol Maj Gen Akkaradet.

During interrogation, Mr Witthaya and Mr Surasit confessed to the charges, but Ms Pipat denied involvement, he said.

Mr Witthaya told police he worked as a garbage truck driver at Sathon district office in Bangkok. He bought the weapons because he liked collecting them. He claimed he found the bulletproof vest discarded at a political protest venue.

He had posted photos of his weapons on his Facebook page and this drew interest from some technical college students in Bangkok. 

He claimed he had sold only two pen guns, to one college student for 800 baht each. He had purchased war weapons from traders along the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin province. 

The suspect said he had also provided an online gun repair service, with Mr Surasit acting as gunsmith.

He insisted he had never used his weapons to carry out any violent attack. He just test fired them.

Mr Surasit told police that he had learned how to repair firearms from the internet. He had repaired weapons for Mr Witthaya and other Facebook friends. He charged according to the difficulty of each job.

Police were not convinced by the suspects’ explanations, Pol Maj Gen Akkaradet said. They were investigating further, including searching for another gang member identified only as Athit.

The trio have been charged with illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. They were held in police custody for legal action.

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