Authorities seized 32,400 rounds of 7.62mm assault rifle ammunition and arrested four Thai nationals and one Cambodian aboard a speedboat at the mouth of a canal in Trat province on Sunday morning, according to reporting by Bangkok Post.
Tracking the Speedboat Across Eastern Waters
An informed source stated that authorities started tracking the suspect speedboat along the Welu River in Chanthaburi province at 6:27 p.m. on Saturday. By 9:55 p.m., the vessel had halted in the open sea off Trat, where observers noted heavy objects being loaded onto the boat.
The pursuit culminated at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. A joint team of navy personnel, local police, and marine officials intercepted and stopped the speedboat precisely at the mouth of the Khlong Tha Hat canal, located in the Khao Saming district of Trat.
The Cargo and the Suspects Aboard
Law enforcement officials detained five individuals on the vessel. The four Thai nationals were identified as Chatchai Wichairat, 45; Sarawoot Pimpirat, 40; Somsuan Wichit, 23; and Narongsak Treemek, 54. The fifth occupant was a 40-year-old Cambodian national identified as To Hattang.
Upon searching the watercraft, authorities discovered 15 sacks containing a total of 32,400 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition intended for AK-47 assault rifles. To mask the illicit nature of the cargo, the smugglers utilized sacks bearing commercial logos indicating they contained Chinese monosodium glutamate products. The suspects were allegedly hired for a total of 20,000 baht to smuggle the ammunition from Cambodia to Trat.
Prior Cross-Border Weapons Interceptions
This weekend seizure does not stand as an isolated incident along the eastern border. Investigators connected the suspects to a previous smuggling attempt in August, which involved bringing two AK-47 rifles and more than 24,000 cartridges into the country.
