A 21-year-old man posted images flaunting illegal firearms through a secret Facebook group. Eventually, he was caught by cyber police at his home. He admitted to illegally trading unlicensed firearms for over a year, sourcing ammunition from various shooting ranges to resell for profit. The arrest team is preparing to expand the investigation to dismantle this illegal gun trading network.
On 23 June 2026, Pol. Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), together with Pol. Lt. Gen. Naradet Tiprak, Commander attached to the Royal Thai Police Office, assisting CCIB, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Sarayut Chunawattana, Commander of CCIB Division 2, ordered Pol. Col. Tosak Panklinphut, Chief of Division 4, CCIB Division 2, Pol. Lt. Col. Akrin Sannak, Deputy Chief of Division 4, CCIB Division 2, Pol. Capt. Prapas Somwong, Intelligence Analysis Officer, and Lt. Cmdr. Kukeat Chertsungnoen, Deputy Inspector of Division 4, CCIB Division 2,
led a raid with a search warrant No. 310/2569 issued by Thanyaburi Provincial Court to search a house in Village 1, Rangsit Subdistrict, Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani Province. They arrested 28-year-old Patima Charoensuk and seized one homemade short shotgun along with various ammunition types, including .380, .38, .32 caliber bullets, and 20 and 12 gauge shotgun shells, totaling 245 rounds.
This arrest followed intelligence received by the investigation team of Division 4, CCIB Division 4, that Patima was involved in buying and selling firearms and ammunition and frequently flaunted illegal guns in secret Facebook groups. The team conducted a month-long investigation, gathering evidence before obtaining a search warrant to raid his residence and arrest him along with all confiscated items.
In initial questioning, Patima admitted to illegally trading unlicensed firearms and ammunition for over a year. He said he bought guns from a circle of friends who sourced or arranged orders for customers at prices between 5,000 to 6,000 baht per gun and then resold them at 8,000 to 10,000 baht each for profit.
Regarding ammunition, he said he contacted several shooting ranges to purchase rounds, which he then sold at a profit margin averaging 400-500 baht per box. The arrest team is preparing to expand the investigation to dismantle this illegal gun trading network.
The police have charged him with unauthorized possession of firearms and ammunition. He was taken into custody with the seized items and handed over to the Thanyaburi Police Station for legal proceedings.