Thai man who found rare and valuable pearl arrested on drugs charges

[webfact]

Thai man who found rare and valuable pearl arrested on drugs charges

 

Picture: Sanook

 

One of two brothers who last week found a multi million baht rare pearl on the beach in the south of Thailand is now behind bars. 

 

Police in Nakhon Sri Thammarat followed the story with interest after Hatchai, 37, was lording it in the media with his 5-10 million baht Melo pearl he found washed up in a clump of shellfish. 

 

They realized that Hatchai had gone home to his house and soon arrest and search warrants for the property in Koh Petch sub-district were issued.

 

Two lots of drug taking equipment and a quantity of ice (methamphetamine) were found and Hatchai was taken away in cuffs.

 

Hua Sai police chief Pol Col Chokdee Srimuang said that Hatchai had been on their radar after 16,000 meth pills had been found near the property. 

 

He said that forensics linked him to the drugs but he had been nowhere to be found - until the posts about the pearl hit the Thai media. 

 

Hatchai denies everything but the police say they have clear evidence and have charged him with conspiracy and possession of class 1 narcotics.

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-08

 

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[Surelynot]

Looks like the police realized pay-day is now a reality with the finding of the pearl

[orchis]

someone wanted that pearl.

[colinneil]

I think PC Plod is after a piece of the action, this story stinks, they cannot find him, ha, ha.

Suddenly there could bit some serious money involved, so plod spring into action.????

[LomSak27]

Whether it's a rare pearl or a blue diamond. The Boys in Brown stand ever vigilant to protect society. 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by LomSak27

[sammieuk1]

He is in the Clammer and out of the way where's the pearl and the brother ????

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

Soon they will confiscate the pearl too, and hold it as pre-authorized bond money.

[KhunKenAP]

27 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Soon they will confiscate the pearl too, and hold it as pre-authorized bond money.

 

Soon? Probably already is, but lost in the evidence room.

[tomazbodner]

Did he dream about this as well?

[kotsak]

I was expecting he will waste the pearl money on booze and hoes but I didn't expect others had the same plans as well.. ????

[timendres]

14 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Did he dream about this as well?

 

The ice might explain the dream that led them to the pearl.

[PatOngo]

One day he luck-eee, nek day he no luck-eee!

[dddave]

I suspect the entire "Pearl" story was a sham in the first place, kind of a money laundering scheme.

For instance, orange pearls of this type are usually produced by sea snails, not oysters as he claimed.  The "oyster shell" from which the pearl supposedly originated disappeared.  Then there's the story of how a "dream spirit" sent him to the beach in the first place.

 

More likely,  the drug organization he is accused of being a part of bought the pearl on the black market and was trying to legitimize it.

[pokerface1]

1 hour ago, PatOngo said:

One day he luck-eee, nek day he no luck-eee!

haha or One day a diamond next day a stone

[PETERTHEEATER]

The Chinese buyer of the 'pearl' will be faced with buying from a criminal. Is he in ASQ?

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, dddave said:

I suspect the entire "Pearl" story was a sham in the first place, kind of a money laundering scheme.

For instance, orange pearls of this type are usually produced by sea snails, not oysters as he claimed.

 

This is what I was thinking while reading the article.

 

I did read an article last week which said he found the pearl in a snail, not a clam...

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

He is in the Clammer and out of the way where's the pearl and the brother ????

In safe hands.

[mike787]

5 hours ago, orchis said:

someone wanted that pearl.

...maybe the police...

[shackleton]

The Chinese guy flying to Thailand to collect the Pearl can pay for his bail 

And then everyone is a winner