German man on overstay arrested for guns, drugs

Police arrested a Thai woman and a German man on overstay in Patong with drugs and weapons. They were found and taken into custody on Friday after the man sent a threatening image of a gun on the LINE app. Police did not reveal how long ago the man’s stamp in his passport had expired, only confirming that he had overstayed.

The 39 year old German man was apprehended in a house in Soi Khwan Yang in Patong along with is 44 year old Thai girlfriend. The Patong Police chief confirmed the arrest, naming the suspect only as Mateas and Rat without giving last names.

When they were arrested, officers found 0.8 grammes of crystal meth in their possession. The couple also had a handgun, parts of other guns, 16 bullets, and 12.3 grammes of gunpowder in the house. They will face charges of illegal possession of a Category 1 drug as well as illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. The German man will also be prosecuted for his overstay in Thailand.

Police received a report from a person saying they had been threatened over the LINE app when the German man sent a photo of his gun. Officers followed up on the report and discovered the man living illegally in the country with a woman he claimed to be his wife.

When questioned, the German man said that they had been living together for 10 years but were not legally married. He told police that he had bought the crystal meth they found in his home from a stranger. He claimed that he had no way to contact that person, though police doubted his claims. He also told police that he bought the gun about four years ago from a friend named Boy but that friend is now dead, according to TPN National.