Police seized weapons and drugs at the house of a former mayor on Saturday as part of a stepped-up crackdown on influential figures and narcotics on Phuket island.
Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and Tourist Police officers raided nine locations on the southern resort island but their main target was a house in tambon Rassada in Muang district. It is owned by Surathin Lien-udom, a well-known former mayor known locally as Ko Seng
They sealed off the three-storey house and captured Chairat Chantha and Chanin Petchkong, both 42, as they attempted to flee. They told police that three others were still inside.
Passakorn Wutthichart, 37, and Boonnuk Sorn-nam, 60, emerged after their relatives helped the authorities to convince them to stop hiding in the compound.
A disassembled pistol is one of several items found inside the house. (Photo by the Crime Suppression Division)
Special forces were called in for backup before the police raided the house and caught the last person hiding in the ceiling on the ground floor. He was identified as Jompol Siriwan, 55, an elder brother of the former mayor's wife, who worked for Ko Seng.
Police found and seized a 22 calibre rifle, 45 calibre pistol and seven bullets, three samurai swords, 10 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, three grammes of heroin, four ecstasy pills and 17 grammes of marijuana. Also seized were books recording financial transactions of drug clients and football gamblers, according to Pantana Nutchanart, a deputy CSD commissioner.
Ko Seng was not in the house but Pol Col Pantana said he would be summoned for interrogation as police would try to establish links between him and those arrested.
Mr Jompol and Mr Boonnuk were charged with possessing drugs and illegal firearms, while three others face drug charges, he added.
Ko Seng was once the chairman of an entertainment operators' association in Phuket.
He was also one of the leaders of the early protests in Phuket in late 2013, allied with the movement led by former Democrat Party strongman Suthep Thaugsuban, that led to the ouster of the government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
In other raids, police netted three more people in Kratu district, including Noi Thongsin, 40, wanted on an arrest warrant for rape charges.