Tramadol Sales Exposed in Suphan Buri Illegal Pharmacy Raid

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Khaosod

 

SUPHAN BURI - A targeted raid on illicit pharmaceutical operations has unveiled the illegal sale of Tramadol, a controlled substance, being traded under the cloak of a legitimate cannabis business.

 

This crackdown, conducted by local administrative and health officers, underscores a critical issue of public health and safety as it aims to stem the flood of dangerous drugs into the communities.

 

On 8th February, Chaiyathat Jessadapakkorn, leading the drug suppression and social order task force in Mueang Suphan Buri, collaborated with a special operations unit and the provincial health office. Their focus was a particular shop on Phan Kham Road, flagged by locals for vending Tramadol unlawfully.

 

Deploying an undercover operative, officials managed to purchase two packs of Tramadol for 120 Thai baht, approximately US$3.50, from the shop, manifesting conclusive evidence of illegal dealings.

 

Following this, they made their move into the establishment, confronting two individuals, referred to here as A and B, stationed at the counter and responsible for the sale.

During an inquiry, B confessed to assisting her partner, the shop’s proprietor, in peddling these drugs, directly admitting to the sale to the undercover agent earlier.

 

A comprehensive sweep of the premises yielded a significant haul of Tramadol: 30 packs each containing ten 50-milligram pills, totalling 903 pills in bottles, and an additional 50 pills in sachets.

 

Alongside Tramadol, stocks of other dangerous substances like Fenafec, Promethazine, and Fatec were also found, all classified under stringent pharmaceutical regulations.

 

The suspects were taken to Mueang Suphan Buri Police station to face charges related to unauthorised drug sales, a serious breach under the Drug Act of 1967. This can lead to a five-year jail term and fines up to 10,000 baht, which is about US$295.

 

They will also answer for practising pharmacy without a valid licence, as per the Pharmacy Profession Act of 1994, carrying penalties up to three years in prison or fines reaching 30,000 baht, roughly US$885.

 

Dr. Ratthaphon Wetsaransuthi, Suphan Buri’s provincial public health officer, explained that this operation followed numerous complaints regarding the unlawful sale of drugs such as Tramadol and Fenafec.

 

These substances are notorious for their analgesic and sedative qualities, which can be highly addictive and harmful, risking seizures when misused.

 

The joint effort with local police seeks not only to reduce the availability of such substances but also to address the broader impact on community health, providing a reminder of the vigilance necessary to curb drug misuse.

 

Through these actions, authorities aim to safeguard the public from the hazards posed by unscrupulous operators exploiting vulnerable individuals with harmful narcotics, reported The Thaiger.

 

-- 2025-02-10

 

 

[Gsxrnz]

I was given Tramadol after receiving shoulder surgery. A week went missing. Would never touch this stuff again. 

[Hermes Live]

I was on 200mg of slow release Tramadol in Australia for about 10 years due to Fybromyalgia. I came to Thailand 3 years ago and the only thing I could get was just 50mg (not slow release) so I decided to not take anything. It did take me about 3 months to overcome the "addiction" but now all good. Tramadol is very useful if taken correctly.

I still suffer pains but not all the time.

[madone]

there was a small community of British boiler room boys in the Philippines around 10 years ago addicted to Tramadol.   

[madone]

Just now, madone said:

there was a small community of British boiler room boys in the Philippines around 10 years ago addicted to Tramadol.   

 

interesting how the story neglects to mention that it is an opioid

[impulse]

I've bought Tramadol 100mg at Boots.  I've bought Tramadol 50mg all over Bangkok.

 

It can't be that illegal...

 

[proton]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

These substances are notorious for their analgesic and sedative qualities, which can be highly addictive and harmful, risking seizures when misused.

 

Notorious? pain relief is what they were made for, as for addictive that's exaggerated, Tramadol is not highly addictive, in my experience.

[proton]

3 minutes ago, impulse said:

I've bought Tramadol 100mg at Boots.  I've bought Tramadol 50mg all over Bangkok.

 

It can't be that illegal...

 

 

When? they only sell Ultracet these days at boots, never found a pharmacy selling 50mg in Bkk

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, proton said:

 

When? they only sell Ultracet these days at boots, never found a pharmacy selling 50mg in Bkk

 

All over Chinatown, they have 50mg.  Some places will only sell 2 packs of 10 pills, some will sell more.  Boots had 100mg, but their price was well over 2x what I paid for 50mg.  (Boots required recording the sale with my passport).  All in the past 20 months, as recently as last month.  I have a specific purpose in buying it for a friend who has cancer, and the meds her doctors give her often don't relieve her pain between doses. 

 

Personally, I've taken maybe 3 or 4 Tramadol pills when I had a toothache and needed an extraction or a root canal.  I've found that a combination of Ibuprophen and Paracetamol work just as well (suggested by my dentist).  But that's another topic for another thread. 

 

[proton]

12 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

All over Chinatown, they have 50mg.  Some places will only sell 2 packs of 10 pills, some will sell more.  Boots had 100mg, but their price was well over 2x what I paid for 50mg.  (Boots required recording the sale with my passport).  All in the past 20 months, as recently as last month.  I have a specific purpose in buying it for a friend who has cancer, and the meds her doctors give her often don't relieve her pain between doses. 

 

Personally, I've taken maybe 3 or 4 Tramadol pills when I had a toothache and needed an extraction or a root canal.  I've found that a combination of Ibuprophen and Paracetamol work just as well (suggested by my dentist).  But that's another topic for another thread. 

 

 

Never tried Chinatown, not surprised! Mrs gets mine from her acupuncturist. Disgraceful that a cancer sufferer cannot get them. 

[wombat]

44 minutes ago, madone said:

 

interesting how the story neglects to mention that it is an opioid

hillbilly heroin 

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Never tried Chinatown, not surprised! Mrs gets mine from her acupuncturist. Disgraceful that a cancer sufferer cannot get them. 

 

She gets Oxycontin.  But they're very tight on the number they'll give her.  As if addiction is her biggest concern when she's in cancer level pain a lot of the time.  I stay in Chinatown on my monthly visa runs to Thailand, so I'm very familiar with the lay of the land. 

 

The Boots that I used were around Asoke, where I used to work.  They were hit and miss with their stock.  But those purchases were recent.  Post Covid for sure.

 

[proton]

3 minutes ago, wombat said:

hillbilly heroin 

 

That was OxyContin and the dealers were the local Dr's bribed by the makers 

[Kwaibill]

52 minutes ago, Hermes Live said:

I was on 200mg of slow release Tramadol in Australia for about 10 years due to Fybromyalgia. I came to Thailand 3 years ago and the only thing I could get was just 50mg (not slow release) so I decided to not take anything. It did take me about 3 months to overcome the "addiction" but now all good. Tramadol is very useful if taken correctly.

I still suffer pains but not all the time.

My doc in the US used to prescribe 90 tabs/ month for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. I rarely used them all because, absent pain on any given day, I did not care for the “ fuzziness” it brings.

Lately it seems more available as “Ultracet” ( sp?) which is a combo with Paracetamol and more effective at pain relief. Glad to have it after fractured pelvis, then broken humerus, etc. Thai doctors seem reluctant to prescribe much in the pain relief department. Sometimes it is interpretation of Buddha’s “ life is pain” as “life should be pain”, perhaps?

Glad my doc at the regional hospital set me up with some to take home until I learn what the current policy in the US is.

[Grumpy one]

I've been using Tramadol 50 mg since 2007 for back pain

Mabe some people get addicted to them, as for me they sit in the drawer until I really need them

[bkk6060]

It is available in pharmacies even some of the big name ones.

I have taken it from time to time and feel it is definitely addictive.  Everyone is different, but even if I took one pill a day for 10 days, I could feel the withdrawals for 2 or 3 days after.  

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, Kwaibill said:

Lately it seems more available as “Ultracet” ( sp?) which is a combo with Paracetamol and more effective at pain relief.

 

The Ultracet I've seen in Bangkok is 35mg tramadol with Paracetamol.  Maybe it comes in different mixes, but that's what I have seen. Widely available.

 

On an aside, the few times I did take Tramadol for my tooth pain, it interfered with my sleep.  Crazy dreams, and not of the good kind.

 

[proton]

13 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

The Ultracet I've seen in Bangkok is 35mg tramadol with Paracetamol.  Maybe it comes in different mixes, but that's what I have seen. Widely available.

 

On an aside, the few times I did take Tramadol for my tooth pain, it interfered with my sleep.  Crazy dreams, and not of the good kind.

 

It's 37.5 mg Tramadol

[NoDisplayName]

28 minutes ago, proton said:

It's 37.5 mg Tramadol

 

So Tramadol bad,  No have.

But Ultracet good, have. 

Take 3 for same-same.

 

Good to know, was looking for some last night, and found my pills on hand had expired in 2018.  Was planning to check the local pharmacies tomorrow.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, proton said:

It's 37.5 mg Tramadol

I was close...

 

[bamnutsak]

Tramadol is called "Taxi" here as in capsule form they are often green/yellow like the popular taxi colors.

 

It's blended into a drink called "Happy Water", which can contain MDMA, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, tramadol, and ketamine.

 

 

 

[wombat]

16 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Tramadol is called "Taxi" here as in capsule form they are often green/yellow like the popular taxi colors.

 

It's blended into a drink called "Happy Water", which can contain MDMA, methamphetamine, diazepam, caffeine, tramadol, and ketamine.

 

 

 

You know some dodgy dealers ?

[NoDisplayName]

On 2/10/2025 at 12:19 PM, proton said:

 

When? they only sell Ultracet these days at boots, never found a pharmacy selling 50mg in Bkk

 

First pharmacy I visited this afternoon had Tramadol, two brands, both 50mg in blister packs of 10 for 65 baht.

 

No request to see prescription or provide ID, and apparently no limit.  Pharmacist lady offered to see me the whole box, with a 5-baht per strip discount.

[proton]

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

First pharmacy I visited this afternoon had Tramadol, two brands, both 50mg in blister packs of 10 for 65 baht.

 

No request to see prescription or provide ID, and apparently no limit.  Pharmacist lady offered to see me the whole box, with a 5-baht per strip discount.

 

Where was that?

[NickyLouie]

Quote

Promethazine

 

 

this is a freaking antihistamine .