The warning issued today (June 14) by Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police follows a raid on a house last week that found a suspect with a handmade firearm moulded to his buckle that could fire live .22-calibre bullets.
Police discovered the miniature gun while raiding a home in Srisoonthorn last Thursday (June 8), when officers arrested Bandit Chaiwansut, 38, from Phuket.
It can be used as a real gun and be loaded with one .22 bullet at a time. The barrel of the gun is 2.5 inches long.
Bandit was found in possession of 2.54 grams of marijuana, a Smith & Wesson .38 handgun and the handmade version on his belt buckle.
He was also found in possession of six .38-calibre bullets and five .22-calibre bullets, as well as 28 rounds of 9mm bullets and five 12-gauge shotgun cartridges.
It was not reported whether the two guns were loaded at the time of his arrest.
Bandit was subsequently taken to Thalang Police Station and charged with illegal possession of a Category 5 drug, and possession of firearms and ammunition without a permit.
“Bandit made the belt-buckle gun by himself and it can used like a real gun. It can shoot without being removed from the buckle,” Capt Kraisorn said.
“We are afraid that there might be more guns like this, so we want to warn people, business operators and officers to keep an eye for for similar weapons.
“Bandit can enter nightclubs with this ‘buckle gun’, and no one would realise it,” Capt Kraisorn pointed out.
The gun, although seized as evidence from the raid, has since been handed over to Region 8 Police for investigation, he added.