Thread: Saraburi - cache of explosives seized in raid

Big cache of explosives seized in raid
1,700 powergel bars found, three arrests
WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM & SUPICHAYA RAKBUA


Saraburi _ Crime Suppression Division police seized 1,700 bars of powergel explosives and detained three people in a raid on a cement company in Chalerm Prakiat district yesterday. The raid followed close on the heels of the seizure on Tuesday of a small amount of powergel in a room in Bang Phlat district of Bangkok rented by the nephew of an anti-Thaksin activist.
In yesterday's raid, police also found 101 detonators, and 24 packs of ammonium nitrate fertiliser.
The powergel bars each weighed 400 grammes, while the fertiliser weighed a total of 600 kilogrammes.
The whole cache was found in a garbage facility in the compound of Cemex (Thailand) company, a cement factory located on Highway 21 linking Saraburi with Lop Buri province.
Police detained Pattarapol Chulkaew, an explosives-use controller, Udomsak Salasil, a permit holder, and Bank Assapaporn, a managing executive, on charges of illegal possession of explosives after they failed to produce the necessary documentation, police said.
Central Investigation Bureau commander Pol Lt-Gen Montri Chamroon said it was the biggest haul of such explosives in five years.
The company is thought to have been storing the explosive for use in quarrying.
Bomb experts said the potency of the explosive is close to that of TNT (Trinitrotoluene). Powergel, however, is more easily available and cheaper.
Pien Yongnoo, chairman of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority's labour union, yesterday submitted a letter to the National Legislative Assembly asking for justice for his nephew who is under suspicion of illegal possession of the powergel explosive seized on Tuesday.
Mr Pien, a core leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said his nephew, Sompong In-gnam, 24, was innocent.
He voiced suspicion that there was a political motivation behind the case, as it followed his call for the resignation of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont.
''I don't know who is behind this attempt. It might be those who want to defend the prime minister and discredit me,'' he said.
The union leader said that he was acting on his own volition and was not being used by any political group to try and unsettle the government.
Constitution Drafting Committee chairman Prasong Soonsiri, another former PAD core leader, said he believed Tuesday's find was a set-up aimed at smearing the PAD.
It was suspicious the explosive was found right after Mr Pien submitted his letter to the prime minister, he said.
Pol Lt-Gen Adisorn Nonsee, head of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said Mr Sompong had not yet contacted police, despite earlier reports that he had turned himself in. Police investgators were seeking more evidence to be sure of any arrests in the case, he said.

Bangkok Post