Malaysian Gunrunner Mr. Yeb Arrested in Songkhla with M4 Rifles and Ammunition
SONGKHLA, THAILAND — Thai police have arrested a 45-year-old Malaysian man, identified as Mr. Yeb, in a major cross-border weapons trafficking bust at a checkpoint in Sadao District. Authorities say the suspect was caught with two M4 assault rifles and over 400 rounds of ammunition hidden inside his white KIA Optima.
The arrest occurred on Saturday, August 30, after officers from Sadao Police Station, led by Pol. Col. Surachit Petchjom, noticed the Malaysian-registered vehicle behaving suspiciously near Kanchanawanit Road, Village No. 7, in Samnak Kham Subdistrict.
During a routine search, officers uncovered the weapons concealed beneath the driver’s rubber floor mat. The suspect, Mr. Yeb, was caught red-handed and reportedly confessed to being part of a well-organized cross-border arms trafficking network operating between Malaysia and southern Thailand.
Authorities emphasized that the smuggling operation does not appear linked to the southern insurgency, but may involve criminal contacts in neighboring Malaysian states. Police warned that the bust could be just the tip of the iceberg, with more weapons and traffickers possibly still at large.
“This is a significant blow to the arms smuggling trade in the region,” said investigators. “But the public should be aware that additional operatives and shipments may still be active.”
Mr. Yeb admitted to multiple previous smuggling operations, working for different groups in Malaysia. The arrest raises renewed concerns over the ease of cross-border trafficking and the availability of military-grade firearms entering Thailand illegally.
