Seven armed men made off with three boxes of handguns in a daring daylight raid on the cargo terminal at Bangkok's international airport Thursday, Thai police said.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Police Major-General Amnuay Ditkawi said the armed men forced a security guard at the airport's cargo terminal to open a container containing the weapons.
They escaped in a car and a van along with 30 9mm pistols worth 60,000 baht (1,320 dollars) early Thursday, he said.
The weapons had been sent from Austria and were due to be delivered to a security company which said it was acting as a go-between for the Thai Air Force.
However, Deputy Police Chief General Sant Sarutanon said the Air Force had never placed an order for the guns.
"They ordered under the name of the Thai Air Force without any authorization," Sant told reporters.
Amnuay said police were now investigating a man who arrived at the cargo terminal Wednesday to collect the boxes. He identified himself as a soldier but was turned him away because he failed to produce the necessary documents.
Sant said he had received confirmation from the army and air force chiefs that if any of their personnel were found to be involved in the robbery they would withdraw from the investigation.
Amnuay said the seven armed men had been filmed on closed-circuit television, but declined to speculate on their identity or where the guns were destined -- BANGKOK (AFP)
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