Police Bust Gun-Making Ring Hidden Behind Fake Facebook Accounts
Police arrested a 39-year-old man in Amnat Charoen province on July 26 after discovering he was manufacturing and selling homemade .22-caliber rifles through multiple disguised Facebook accounts that he constantly deleted and reopened to ev
On July 26, 2025, cyber police commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Surpol Prembut authorized a search of a residence in Na Wa subdistrict, Pattum Ratchawongsa district, Amnat Charoen province, where they arrested 39-year-old Wanchai (surname withheld) along with firearms, gun barrels, and manufacturing equipment.
Investigators discovered illegal weapons trafficking through an online platform involving a Facebook account that changed names from "Kittiwee Kononnana" to "Tweekij Car Repair" and later to "Young Twee Waiting for Mechanic Work." The account owner posted videos of homemade .22-caliber firearms and sold guns and components online. The Facebook profile was heavily secured with locked settings and avatar images, posting weapon sales for no more than three hours before deletion. All negotiations occurred through private chat, and whenever a customer was arrested, the account would be immediately closed and reopened under a different name with a new avatar.
Despite these precautions, police traced the account to Wanchai. Officers obtained a court warrant and successfully conducted a search, seizing approximately 20 items including one homemade .22-caliber rifle, over 10 gun barrels of various lengths, 50 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition, a phone, and various tools and firearm components including trigger sets, springs, and receivers.
During interrogation, Wanchai admitted that he ordered parts and components from Facebook merchants, assembled them into .22-caliber rifles, test-fired them, and recorded videos for posting to attract buyers. He then sold completed guns for 1,000–1,500 baht per unit or sold individual components. For custom barrel threading work—a highly skilled task—he charged 500 baht per barrel. Wanchai claimed this was not his profession but a hobby to support his food expenses, and he had only sold three barrels previously.
Police initially charged him with manufacturing, assembling, repairing, modifying, importing, possessing, or distributing firearms and ammunition for trade without permission from the registrar, and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition without a license. He was taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
