Man caught in Phuket after two-year hunt for selling modified guns

A 29 year old man has been apprehended in Phuket following a two-year manhunt for his involvement in modifying blank guns and selling them via live broadcasts on Facebook.

The suspect, known only as Kittiphon or Tom, managed to evade capture by fleeing from Phang Nga to Phuket. Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) arrested Kittiphon in front of a rented house in Ratsada on Saturday, August 3.

Kittiphon was wanted on a warrant issued by the Phang Nga Provincial Court on September 8, 2022. The case began when officers traced firearms used by teenagers in the northeast of Thailand back to him.

The modified blank guns were being sold through Facebook livestreams, prompting an investigation. This led officers to a house in Tambon Na Toei, in the Thai Mueang district, Phang Nga. During the search, police seized over 100 firearms, ammunition, and imitation firearms.

Realising the police were closing in, Kittiphon fled before the search could be conducted. Evidence collected by the Thai Mueang Police Station led to an arrest warrant but Kittiphon had already gone into hiding.

CSD Division 5 officers continued their investigation and eventually located Kittiphon in a rented house in Ratsada. A coordinated arrest followed, resulting in his capture and subsequent transfer to the Thai Mueang Police Station for further legal proceedings.

During initial questioning, Kittiphon confessed to all charges, according to the CIB report.

Kittiphon revealed that he and an associate had modified blank guns to fire live ammunition, selling more than 300 units through social media platforms. Following the police raid, they parted ways and ceased their illegal activities, reported Phuket News.

In related news, police apprehended a suspicious man at Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal after a metal detector revealed he was carrying a homemade gun. The suspect, identified as 43 year old Thanet from Samut Prakan, was found with a .38 calibre gun and six bullets.