KALASIN: An owner of a gold shop was arrested and more than 200 guns seized from his shop in Kuchinarai district, while a young man was arrested separately for illegally producing bullets.
In the first raid, police searched the Saowalak gold shop in tambon Bua Khao, Kuchinarai district, on Friday and found 245 guns of various types, worth 10 million baht.
Owner Surapol Saowarak, 56, admitted he had accepted them from someone who pawned them for cash. Since the owner failed to redeem them within the agreed period, the weapons belonged to him and he planned to sell them.
The suspect has been charged with illegal possession of firearms, said Pol Lt Gen Surachai Khuandechakupt, commander of Provincial Police Region 4, during a media briefing on Friday.
Police also announced the arrest of Attachai Phonardthan, 20, of Nong Kung Si district of this northeastern province in a separate raid on the same day.
Seized from his house were one pistol, two rifles, a gun part, 16 rounds of M16 ammunition, five rounds of 9mm ammunition and materials used in producing bullets.
Mr Attachai, who completed Mathayom Suksa 3 (Grade 9) education, confessed he had a passion for firearms.
He learned how to produce bullets on his own by searching for information from the Defence Ministry’s website. He then purchased nitric and sulfuric acid and other materials to produce the ammunition.
Pol Lt Gen Surachai said the bullets made by the suspect were as effective as those from factories.
The suspect said he made them for his own use and for distribution to friends. They used them to shoot birds and rats in paddy fields. Sometimes, the suspect sold bullets to villagers, said the police commander.
Police charged him with illegal producing ammunition and illegal possession of firearms.
The two suspects were held in police custody for legal action.
More than 200 guns are seized from a gold shop in Kalasin. (Photo by Chakkaran Natanri)
A chart showing two suspects arrested separately in Kalasin. (Photo by Chakkrapan Natanri)