Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand's police on October 9 launched an operation to deal with dealers and smugglerswho sell or carry illegal firearms as well as modified guns in 47 provincesacross the country.
More than 800 policemen, including members of the "Hanuman"special weapons and tactics unit, have been deployed at the CentralInvestigation Bureau (CIB) in Nonthaburi.
The move came following an incident on October 3 when ayoung gunman opened fire inside the luxury Siam Paragon shopping mall inBangkok, causing two deaths and injuring at least five people. It was laterrevealed that the gunman was only 14 years old.
CIB commissioner PolLt-General Jirabhop Bhuridej has instructed the police to arrest dealers andsmugglers involved with illegal firearms, saying that gun crimes were becomingmore frequent.
Most illegal firearms are being traded via online channels, thusthe need for speed in dealing with this issue as soon as possible, he said./.