Malaysian man caught smuggling weapons into Thailand for 70,000 baht
Arrest raises alarm over cross-border trafficking networks
A 45 year old Malaysian man was apprehended in Songkhla for smuggling military-grade weapons and over 400 rounds of ammunition into Thailand. He confessed to being hired by a Malaysian national for 70,000 baht to transport the arms.
Police Colonel Surachit Phetchajom, together with administrative and military officials, announced Yeb Sun Ee’s arrest. Yeb was found in possession of two M4 rifles and 300 rounds of 5.56 calibre bullets, along with an additional 100 rounds of various calibres.
The arrest occurred on August 30 when police at Sadao Police Station set up a checkpoint on Kanchanavanich Road at Sadao-Dan Bok, in Sadao district. Yeb’s suspicious behaviour led to a search of his white Kia Optima TF 2.0, registered in Malaysia, where police discovered the weapons hidden beneath a floor mat behind the driver’s seat.
Initial questioning revealed the suspect was speaking incoherently, appearing as though he had recently taken drugs. He later admitted to using methamphetamine, with a urine test confirming the result, reported MGR Online.
Yeb admitted he was hired by someone from Penang, Malaysia, to smuggle the firearms out of the country for a fee of 10,000 Malaysian ringgit, which is approximately 76,461.50 baht (US$2,365). He was detained before completing the task and stated that the smuggling was unrelated to the ongoing security issues in the three southern border provinces.
Yeb now faces multiple charges: unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition prohibited from licensing, use of a Category 1 narcotic (methamphetamine) without permission, and driving under the influence of a Category 1 narcotic.
Pol. Col. Surachit revealed that further investigation indicates this might be part of a larger international arms trafficking network. Evidence suggests Yeb may have been involved in similar activities previously, which aligns with his history of legal troubles in Malaysia.
Efforts are underway to track down other people involved in this trafficking operation to face justice, reported KhaoSod.
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