A police-issued firearm from Sai Mai Police Station passed through four officers’ hands before ending up with a Chinese suspect found in possession of C4 explosives and a weapons cache, police revealed yesterday.
Following a meeting called by the police chief to discuss the case of 31 year old Ming Chen Sun, the suspect told officers he purchased the weapons online due to a fascination with firearms and intended to use them for self-harm. Police remain sceptical, citing several suspicious points, and are now investigating his financial and mobile records for potential links to wider criminal activity.
Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Pol. Lt. Gen. Siam Boonsom on May 9 instructed Pol. Maj. Gen. Kiatikul Sonthenare, commander of Division 2, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Tinkorn Somwande, commander of the Administrative Division, to trace the origin of the revolver.
Investigators found the firearm was originally owned by a deputy inspector at Sai Mai Police Station, who pawned it to a friend while assigned to the Investigation Division of Metropolitan Police Division 2 in 2011. It was then sold to an officer at Tao Poon Police Station, then to an officer in the Administrative Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and finally to a deputy inspector at Huai Khwang Police Station. That officer was later dismissed from service and imprisoned for accepting bribes related to e-cigarettes.
The connection to Ming Chen Sun came through his former wife, known as Phrae, who had previously been in a relationship with the dismissed officer. Ming Chen Sun expressed interest in acquiring the gun, and the transaction was completed for 100,000 baht.
Division 2 police have since summoned all relevant individuals for questioning. Both Division 2 and the Administrative Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau have ordered committees to further investigate the officers involved in the chain of transfers, reported KhaoSod.
The story Police gun linked to Chinese suspect and C4 explosives traced as seen on Thaiger News.
