Cyber police, backed by search warrants from Surat Thani Provincial Court, launched the "Crackdown on Illegal Guns" operation, raiding two targets linked to illegal firearms in Kanchanadit District.
On 2 April 2026, Pol. Lt. Gen. Suraphon Prembut, Commander of the Cyber Crime Division, along with Pol. Lt. Gen. Naradet Thiprak, Commander assigned to the Royal Thai Police Office, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Sila Kanjanarak, Commander of Cyber Crime Division 5, ordered Police Col. Kukiat Wongphan, Superintendent of Division 2, Cyber Crime Division 5; Police Lt. Col. Chatchai Phakdeesaksri, Deputy Superintendent; Police Lt. Col. Taweep Chantayana, Investigator; and Police Lt. Col. Ekkritit Chantrawiwat, Investigator, to lead the operation.
They deployed forces with search warrants from Surat Thani Provincial Court to conduct the "Crackdown on Illegal Guns" operation, raiding two locations linked to illegal firearms in Kanchanadit District, Surat Thani Province.
At the first site, the investigation team executed Surat Thani Provincial Court search warrant No. K.89/2569 to search a house in Village 5, Thung Kong Subdistrict, Kanchanadit District, Surat Thani. They arrested 58-year-old Sakda Thepchue, the homeowner, and seized one handgun, one homemade Thai-style air rifle using pellet ammunition, three air rifles using umbrella-headed lead pellets, one rifle barrel, and 43 assorted rounds of ammunition.
At the second site, they executed Surat Thani Provincial Court search warrant No. K.90/2569 to search a house in Village 1, Kade Subdistrict, Kanchanadit District, Surat Thani. They arrested 22-year-old Thanadet Phromphaet and seized one unregistered .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, one unregistered .22 caliber revolver, one unregistered .22 caliber single-shot pistol, one air rifle using umbrella-headed lead pellets, one gun silencer, and a total of 184 assorted rounds of ammunition.
The arrests followed an investigation by the Cyber Crime Division 5, Subdivision 2, which discovered that Sakda and Thanadet had ordered illegal firearm parts through a popular online platform. After gathering evidence, they obtained court-approved search warrants and apprehended both suspects with all seized items. Both initially confessed to the charges.
Sakda faces charges of "possession of firearms and ammunition without permission." Thanadet was charged with "possession of firearms and ammunition without permission, and possession of military equipment (gun silencer) without authorization from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence," under Section 15 of the 1987 Control of Military Equipment Act.