Bangkok police on Monday arrested members of a youth gang in Nong Chok district on criminal charges including attempted murder, assault and selling drugs and guns.
Police said they arrested six members of the Tang Doen Suea (tigers' journey) crime syndicate in an operation lasting 36 hours.
The arrested suspects were between 15 and 21 years of age.
Police also seized nine illegal guns and ammunition from a house in Nong Chok.
Police said the gang had a long involvement in criminal activity that included robbery, attempted murder, drug dealing and weapons trafficking. They had preyed on and terrified local residents for a long time despite facing many arrest warrants.
"They are the number one wanted gangsters in Nong Chok," a local police chief said.
Acting on a tip-off, police first spotted two of the wanted youths at a convenience store about 3.30am on Monday. A car with two people had parked near the store and one person went inside Police were confident they were members of the gang, so they arrested them.
After questioning them, police then raided the house Soi Liab Wari in Nong Chok and arrested four others. The alleged gang leader tried to escape but was injured jumping from a wall and quickly caught.
"This gang is a major firearms dealer in the Nong Chok area. They have sold more than 2,000 firearms online," the chief said.
At least 20 customers who purchased guns from them were robbed when they tried to collect their purchases, he said.
