KOTA BARU: Thai authorities have arrested a Malaysian man after he was found in possession of two M16 assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at a roadblock in Sadao, Songkhla, today.
The 42-year-old man was travelling in a white Kia sedan with a Malaysian registration plate when he was detained by Sadao police at about 5.35pm Thai time.
According to a Thai security spokesman, the man was stopped on the Sadao-Danok stretch of Kanchanawanit Road after he was seen acting suspiciously.
A search of the car uncovered two M16 assault rifles, seven 5.56mm magazines, and 300 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. Police also found 100 rounds of .45 calibre bullets and 50 rounds of 9mm bullets. All the weapons and ammunition were seized for further investigation, the spokesman said.
The roadblock was set up as part of an ongoing operation to combat drug trafficking and security threats along the border with Malaysia.
The spokesman said Thai authorities are now investigating the motive behind the man’s possession of such a large cache of weapons, including possible links to cross-border criminal networks.
The arrest is not the first by Thai authorities against foreigners, including Malaysians, suspected of being involved in cross-border activities.
A series of arrests have been made against Malaysians and other nationalities since a crackdown on drug and other criminal networks began at the end of last year.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
