Man arrested for selling gun parts online, claims self-defence
Cyber police arrested a 37 year old man for operating a YouTube channel selling gun barrels and firearms online. Upon searching him, they discovered four methamphetamine pills, and a subsequent house search revealed a substantial cache of illegal items. The suspect claims self-defence as the reason for possession.
Police from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, led by Trairong Piwpan, conducted a raid on a residence in Tha Som, Hua Sai district, Nakhon Si Thammarat on Wednesday, December 18,. The operation was based on a search warrant issued by the Pak Phanang Provincial Court. The main suspect, Chaiyut, was apprehended along with narcotics and weapons.
The investigation stemmed from online surveillance, where officials identified illicit trading of rifled gun barrels via a YouTube account named ตนมี ฝีมือ. Undercover officers engaged with the seller, purchasing a barrel for 2,050 baht (US$60), which was then traced to a postal transaction involving Duanghathai as the sender.
This name appeared in dispatch records 119 times in connection with the YouTube account in question, known for its links to a firearm trading group on the LINE app.
Upon executing the search warrant, officers discovered Busaya at the house, who identified herself as the homeowner and Chaiyut’s spouse. A search of their bedroom uncovered a significant number of firearms and ammunition.
Busaya admitted that all the items belonged to Chaiyut, who was away working a flood relief job in the province. Police later located Chaiyut at his job site, where a search of his vehicle yielded a 9mm blank-firing gun and matching ammunition, alongside the methamphetamine pills found in his bag.
Chaiyut asserted ownership of the firearm but denied possession of the drugs, claiming they belonged to Nan, a shrimp worker, who purportedly left them in his bag. Subsequent checks on Chaiyut’s mobile phone uncovered conversations related to the online purchase of firearms via the LINE app.
Chaiyut confessed that the firearms and ammunition found at his home were indeed his and had been acquired over several years due to his interest in weapons for personal protection.
He admitted to purchasing modified blank-firing guns capable of shooting live ammunition, each costing between 15,000 and 20,000 baht (US$435 to 580). The police charged Chaiyut with illegal possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition, as well as possession of a Category 1 narcotic, methamphetamine, without authorisation, reported KhaoSod.
The suspect, along with the seized items, was handed over to investigators at Bangnob Police Station for further legal proceedings.
