Thailand seizes nearly $1 billion worth of ketamine

[webfact]

Thailand seizes nearly $1 billion worth of ketamine

 

Officials view the seized 11.5 tonnes of ketamine, in the country's largest seizure ever, worth nearly 30 billion baht (~$991 million USD) at a warehouse in Chachoengsao, Thailand, November 12, 2020. Office of the Narcotics Control Board/Handout via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has seized almost $1 billion worth of contraband ketamine, most of it probably destined for Europe, Japan or Korea, the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau said on Thursday.

 

Montri Yimyaem, head of the bureau, said the size of the haul pointed to a multinational network, and that Thailand would pursue it with other countries and international agencies.

 

"The drug is not popular in Thailand, and is mostly sold abroad, including Europe, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea," he said.

 

In medicine, ketamine is used as an anaesthetic or an anti-depressant, but as a recreational drug it is used to induce dreamy or trance-like sensations, and sometimes hallucinations.

 

View of the product after officials seized 11.5 tonnes of ketamine, in the country's largest seizure ever, worth nearly 30 billion baht (~$991 million USD) at a warehouse in Chachoengsao, Thailand, November 12, 2020. Office of the Narcotics Control Board/Handout via REUTERS

 

Investigators found 457 25-kg bags of the drug, worth around 29 billion baht altogether, at a warehouse in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok.

 

They had expanded their investigation after 300 kg of ketamine that had come from Thailand was found in Taiwan.

 

"This discovery is only the beginning, there will be further investigations to seize ill-gotten gains connected to drug smuggling," said Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsutin.

 

($1 = 30.2400 baht)

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, writing by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-13

 

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[talahtnut]

Ah, now we know what the government is on, that explains everything.

[cyril sneer]

surprised it isn't 'a thing' over here

 

does Cambodia still sell it in pharmacies?

[riverhigh]

I wonder how many military generals were involved in this operation. I don't see this size of operation being done in broad daylight without military help,

[nobodysfriend]

Well done .

Ice , Yaba , Ketamine ... all these chemical drugs make people crazy .

Go bio ...

[AhFarangJa]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

as a recreational drug it is used to induce dreamy or trance-like sensations, and sometimes hallucinations.

I believe I may have found the source of TAT's figures and statements............

[mrfill]

Ketamine started as a tranquilliser for horses....

[Misterwhisper]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

but as a recreational drug it is used to induce dreamy or trance-like sensations, and sometimes hallucinations.

Sounds as if certain government ministers must be avid consumers of the stuff.

[Paul Henry]

Well done to all involved. Great to see there are still plenty of honest cops doing difficult and dangerous work.

[Geoffggi]

This must have spoilt someones Christmas .................LOL

[PEE TEE]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

Well done .

Ice , Yaba , Ketamine ... all these chemical drugs make people crazy .

Go bio ...

And Alcohol 

[KC 71]

36 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Ketamine started as a tranquilliser for horses....

Thai people call it Elephant,because it is strong enough to knock one out.

[KC 71]

14 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

This must have spoilt someones Christmas .................LOL

It has definitely Pxxsed on someones bonfire, thats for sure !

[elgenon]

The bag appears to say "Made in Chi...". Where could that be?

[MadMuhammad]

1 hour ago, mrfill said:

Ketamine started as a tranquilliser for horses....

Well I am a big guy 

[sanuk711]

That makes it more expensive then heroin doesn't it? ....better go back to my calculator, is hard doing the Billions bit... ..

[khunjeff]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

"The drug is not popular in Thailand, and is mostly sold abroad, including Europe, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea," he said.

And yet they have a well-known nickname for it, "Ya-K". It's true that it's not nearly as widely used as drugs like yaba, but I've heard of it being commonly used as a club drug here for many years.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Investigators found 457 25-kg bags of the drug, worth around 29 billion baht altogether, at a warehouse in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok.

That's a massive amount, and it's not exactly hidden away. How did it get there?  I would imagine that just about any country where it's produced would be aware of that large a quantity leaving the factory, considering that a typical dose is measured in milligrams. 

 

28 minutes ago, elgenon said:

The bag appears to say "Made in Chi...". Where could that be?

It also appears to be labeled as fertilizer.

Edited November 13, 2020 by khunjeff

[ThaiFelix]

6 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

And yet they have a well-known nickname for it, "Ya-K". It's true that it's not nearly as widely used as drugs like yaba, but I've heard of it being commonly used as a club drug here for many years.

Agreed.  I am surprised as it seems everytime i read of a bust involving young Thais at parties there is also ketamine involved??

[jollyhangmon]

16 minutes ago, sanuk711 said:

That makes it more expensive then heroin doesn't it? ....better go back to my calculator, is hard doing the Billions bit... ..

 

... well, I calculate close to 87k USD per kilo, that's 87 dollar a gram ... dunno about heroin these days, what I know is they tend to exaggerate the (street) value of whatever it is they confiscate.

 

However, would be interesting how much that stuff costs to produce in the first place ...

 

[webfact]

Ketamine worth Bt28.7 billion seized from warehouse in Chachoengsao

By THE NATION

 

 

Nearly 11.5 tonnes of ketamine valued at Bt28.7 billion were seized from a warehouse in Chachoengsao province on Thursday.

 

The Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) acted after a tip-off that a foreign drug network planned to ship the ketamine to Taiwan.

 

“The drugs are the largest amount ever seized in Thailand, with estimated value at Bt28.7 billion based on retail price,” said Wichai Chaimongkhol, ONCB secretary-general.

 

“Ketamine is a popular drug among nightclub-goers and foreign tourists, but it could cause hallucination and brain damage.”

 

 

The female owner of the warehouse in Tha Kham subdistrict, Bangpakong district, whose name was not disclosed, reportedly told officials that two months ago a man had rented the warehouse to store some furniture.

 

He presented a Thai ID card which said he was a Chiang Mai resident named Aphichart Sae Ho, but the owner suspected that he might be from a neighbouring country, as he could barely speak Thai.

 

“The man didn’t pay rent for two months, so I checked the warehouse on October 13 and found only white fertilizer bags and no furniture,” she said. “I tried to contact the man but received no response until officials showed up.”

 

Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsuthin said that the operation was a collaboration between the ministry, the ONCB, police, Customs Department, Airports of Thailand and other related agencies.

 

“We have been tracking this network for two months, and believe that the drugs were smuggled in via the Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai province and were kept in the warehouse to be shipped to Taiwan and other countries.”

 

Officials are investigating evidence as well as the money trail to track down persons behind this drug network.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30397877

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-13

 

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[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Investigators found 457 25-kg bags of the drug, worth around 29 billion baht altogether, at a warehouse in Chachoengsao province, east of Bangkok

Big money gonna be some big names behind this operation.... wonder who they are and if we'll ever find-out.

[khunjeff]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

“The man didn’t pay rent for two months, so I checked the warehouse on October 13 and found only white fertilizer bags and no furniture,” she said. “I tried to contact the man but received no response until officials showed up.”

So he abandoned a billion dollars worth of drugs to save two months' rent? Clearly a criminal mastermind.

[Traubert]

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

Ketamine started as a tranquilliser for horses....

Different type of ket.

[Sydebolle]

I think it was meant for Thailand - it takes a lot of the stuff to tranquilize an entire nation from reality - and the TAT's figures of overhanging tourist arrivals ....... 

[johnarth]

so where does it all go now, could it be used at cremations so the soles could leave happy

[ChipButty]

14 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

So he abandoned a billion dollars worth of drugs to save two months' rent? Clearly a criminal mastermind.

Probably spent the rent

[mickymouse1]

Well done indeed. Let's enjoy some natural herbs,much better.????????????

[elgenon]

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

And yet they have a well-known nickname for it, "Ya-K". It's true that it's not nearly as widely used as drugs like yaba, but I've heard of it being commonly used as a club drug here for many years.

 

That's a massive amount, and it's not exactly hidden away. How did it get there?  I would imagine that just about any country where it's produced would be aware of that large a quantity leaving the factory, considering that a typical dose is measured in milligrams. 

 

It also appears to be labeled as fertilizer.

It must be good sh_t!!!

[Xonax]

No wonder that Thailand is overflowing with drugs, since alcohol sales is limited to certain hours and days.

Edited November 13, 2020 by Xonax

[EVENKEEL]

Is this the same as PCP aka Angel Dust.

edit-

Ketamine was first developed for medical uses, just like PCP. However, it was quickly determined that PCP was far too dangerous, so Ketamine was developed as an alternative – it was originally used as an anesthetic during surgical procedures. The two drugs are structured very similarly, and they cause similar effects. Recreational use of either drug is likely to cause the following side effects:

 

• Feelings of detachment.
• Slurring of speech and an inability to form complete sentences.
• Severe mood swings, usually marked by extreme agitation.
• Involuntary twitching of the muscles (and involuntary movements of the eyes).
• Hallucinations.
• Anxiety and panic attacks.
• Violent behaviors.
• Profuse sweating.
• Shallow breathing and respiratory depression.

 

Edited November 13, 2020 by EVENKEEL