Bacon battle: Factory owner shoots director during illegal pork import raid, leaving one official injured

The owner of a pork storage factory shot and killed the director of the Phetchabun Provincial Animal Quarantine Centre in the central province of Phetchabun today when the deceased and other officers raided an illegal pork import operation. Another official was also injured in the melee.

Phetchabun Provincial Animal Quarantine Centre officers raided a cold storage warehouse and a house in Lom Sak district, Phetchabun province, following a report of illegal pork imports.

Officers met the owner of the warehouse and house, 57 year old Anusorn Donsawat, at the premises and demanded that the pork be tested. Anusorn refused and stopped the investigation, which led to an argument between Anusorn and the centre’s 50 year old director, Sarawut Prajong.

As a consequence, Sarawut confiscated all the pork and prepared to file a report against Anusorn at the police station.

In a rage, Anusorn pulled out a gun and shot Sarawut five times, killing the officer at the scene. A stray bullet also hit another officer, 50 year old Pongphansa Srisuwan, in the waist. Pongphansa ran from the scene to seek help from a fellow police officer at a police booth near the scene.

The shooting was reported to officers at Baan Klang Police Station, who rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, officers found the gunman, Anusorn, walking around the compound with a gun in his hand. The officers immediately arrested Anusorn and took him to the police station for further questioning.

Anusorn faced two charges including:

• Section 288 of the Criminal Law: intentional murder. The punishment will be the death penalty, life imprisonment, or imprisonment from 15 to 20 years.
• Section 289 of the Criminal Law: murdering government authority while performing duty. The punishment will be the death penalty.

Anusorn’s offence was more serious than the previous charge of importing animals or carcasses without a permit. Under Section 31 of the Animal Disease Act, the illegal importation of animals or carcasses is punishable by up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to 200,000 baht, or both.

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