'Hanuman' cracks down on illegal weapon sales online
A police Special Force unit has raided weaponry shops at 31 locations in 10 provinces following a tip-off that BB guns were being modified into real weapons.
Locations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Sa Kaeo, Tak, Chonburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima and Surat Thani provinces were raided.
Operation "Hanuman" began simultaneously at 6am on Thursday (June 18) after the Special Forces learned that a Line group chat with over 1,000 members sold BB guns that were modified into real weapons.
The most important raid was in Nonthaburi where Parinya Eamlamai, who was accused of producing weapons without permission, was hiding.
Parinya was arrested at his house in Bang Bua Thong district without violence. He has reportedly confessed that he sold weapons online but denied making them.
He was the administrator of the Line group chat and provided the guns to clients. A Special Forces officer reportedly pretended to be an interested client, leading to the arrest of the suspect.
However, the result of arrests in other spots have not been revealed and there will be further announcement after the mission is complete, sources said.