Police seize 300 ‘ghost guns’

>>More than 300 illegal firearms and 3,500 rounds of ammunition have been seized during police raids as part of a nationwide clampdown on illegal arms trafficking rackets.

Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jiraphop Phuridet yesterday presided over the launch of the “Ghost Guns Operation” campaign at the MPB’s headquarters, with police in several provinces sent to search 126 targeted locations nationwide to crack down on those involved in the illegal arms trade.

Pol Lt Gen Jiraphop said police confiscated more than 300 firearms, 3,562 ammunition rounds and another 700 items.

A total of 51 suspects were arrested. Forty-six were wanted on arrest warrants in connection with illegal firearms and drug offences, while five others were wanted in connection with other offences, he said.

The crackdown followed a host of serious crimes involving the use of firearms to commit offences. One case involves a former school director firing at people nearby as he attempted to rob a gold shop in a department store in Lop Buri early last year. Three people were killed in the incident, Pol Lt Gen Jiraphop said.

He also warned against the unauthorised online sale of firearms and firearms parts and components, which is against the Firearms Act.

Meanwhile, the army is stepping up surveillance along the Thai-Myanmar border to prevent any smuggling of war weapons across the border into the neighbouring country which is beset by armed clashes between the Myanmar junta’s forces and rebel groups.

Gen Santiphong Thampiya, the army’s chief-of-staff and spokesman, said the Thai army’s border patrol units would stop anyone from smuggling illegal firearms, adding that the army’s weapons are well guarded in storage depots.