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Thailand: Japanese national found with gun magazines in luggage

Police in Thailand seized gun magazines found in the luggage of a Japanese national
Police in Thailand seized gun magazines found in the luggage of a Japanese national at Don Mueang International Airport last week (Bangkok Post)

THAILAND (TR) – Police in Bangkok last week arrested a 27-year-old male Japanese national after empty gun magazines and an anti-personnel mine were found in his luggage at Don Mueang International Airport, reports the Bangkok Post (May 9).

According to police, Takeru Hirano, a resident of Saitama Prefecture, was found to be in possession of 23 magazines for a variety of weapons and a M18A1 Claymore directional anti-personnel mine after an X-ray examination on May 9.

During questioning, Hirano said that he bought the contraband at a market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for about 15,000 yen. He said the items, which are unusable, were intended for an acquaintance.

Police later accused Hirano of the illegal possession of firearms, carrying dangerous arms and importing ammunition into the country without authorization from the Defense Ministry.

According to police, Hirano arrived in Bangkok from Vietnam on April 25. Until May 9, he had stayed in Pattaya, a city on Thailand’s eastern Gulf coast, until Wednesday. Upon his apprehension, he was planning to leave on a flight bound for Tokyo.

According to Thai immigration records, Hirano also entered Thailand in 2015 and 2017.