Bangkok, July 03: Police in the Thai island resort of Phuket seized a cache of weapons that was likely being shipped to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said on Wednesday. One person was arrested. The weapons were being transported in a truck intercepted on Tuesday night by police on a seaside road, police Col. Praween Phongsirin, the chief investigator said. Several people abandoned the truck and fled, but one person was caught, he said. Phuket is 690 kilometers south of Bangkok.
The suspect told police that the weapons -- six rocket-propelled grenades, automatic rifle bullets and flares -- were being sent to a rebel group in Asia, Praween said, adding that he could not speculate on the group's identity.
But provincial Gov. Phongphayom Wasasphithi told reporters the weapons probably were destined for the Tamil rebels fighting for a separate homeland in northern Sri Lanka. He did not elaborate. A fishing boat that apparently was going to pick up the shipment from a pier disappeared into the sea after the truck was caught, Praween said.
He said the origin of the weapons was not known. Bureau Report