The Patrol and Special Operation Division 191 and related units dispatched search teams to 29 target spots across Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces on Thursday morning as part of the operation dubbed “Taking back guns from criminals”.

The 200 police officers gathered in front of the 191 division office on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road at 5am to hear instructions from 191 Police deputy commander Pol Colonel Samran Nuanma and Tourism Police deputy commander Pol Colonel Nithithorn Jintakanon.

The operation to search for guns and other illegal items, according to 191 chief Pol Maj-General Surachet Hakpan, would cover 13 locations in Bangkok, 12 locations in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi as well as four locations in Samut Prakan, Nithithorn said. Most of these targeted spots were linked to the previously arrested criminal suspects while some were identified by various websites. Police would continue to regularly dispatch search teams until the criminal networks were gone, he said. The results of Thursday’s operations would be announced later, he said.