Two people were arrested in Bangkok and charged with possessing and selling firearms without permission in a police crackdown on guns and violence ahead of the election, says the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB).
Pittinan, 31, and her boyfriend Chayut, 34, were nabbed at a house in Bang Khen district during a search in which police found 17 registered guns, two BB guns and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
Their arrest is part of an extended investigation into the online sale of firearms and ammunition. Police launched a sting operation in which they ordered a box of ammunition and tracked it down to the pair’s house. Police then obtained a search warrant and searched the premises.
Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, commissioner of the CCIB, said some of these guns were modified from BB guns to be used with M4 ammunition. He said individuals are not allowed to possess this type of firearm, so the pair have been charged with possessing guns and ammunition and distributing them without permission.
According to the initial investigation, Ms Pittinan, who works as a nurse at a privately-run hospital, purchased a total of 21 registered guns under a welfare scheme during 2019-2020 and another one in 2022.
Ms Pittinan told police that her boyfriend made the purchases under her name and she had no idea about him selling firearms. She said he also had her deliver the ammunition but that she had no idea what was inside her deliveries.
A total of 50 people were arrested and 77 guns and 2,440 rounds of ammunition seized from 60 locations in 42 provinces since the crackdown.