Key Drug Smuggler Escapes From Police While In Police Custody In Chiang Mai

[Buchholz]

Thai police track key drug smuggler who escaped custody in Chiang Mai

BANGKOK, Oct 3 -- Thai police have set up an investigation committee to probe how a key drug smuggler was able to escape after being apprehended and taken into custody earlier, Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said Sunday.

Mr Pirapan told a press conference that police are hunting for 41-year-old Prida Takulprida who escaped while police were searching his house in the northern province of Chiang Mai’s Fang district on Saturday.

Details on how he could manage to escape while border patrol police officers escorted him to search for guns he cached in an orchard were not available as more than 100 border patrol police were searching to re-arrest him, Mr Pirapan said.

Mr Prida and four alleged accomplices – two men and two women – were nabbed early Saturday by plainclothes police and US Drug Enforcement Authority agents posing as drug buyers in Fang district, Mr Pirapan said.

He said 36 kilogrammes of compressed heroin worth more than Bt20 million (US$663,000) in Thailand and about Bt220 million ($7.3 million) in the United States were seized from Mr Prida and his accomplices.

The seizure of the compressed heroin, according to Mr. Pirapan, was the largest in the past five years.

Mr Prida is a major narcotics smuggler and also a significant financial support for Wa ethnic rebels in Myanmar, Mr Pirapan added.

-- TNA 2010-10-03

[gotlost]

Don't know how he escaped? Look for the money.

[Johpa]

A heroin dealer escapes from police in Fang! Pray tell it is not true. How astounding. Utterly unbelievable to a good citizen like myself who has been traveling through Fang for decades. And it wasn't even Laota or one of his family associates. Alas, there maybe a new ring road and other new paved roads and new buildings in Amphoe Fang, but somethings never change up in the border foothills of the Mae Kok drainage region.

[Paagai]

:cheesy: What, surely this could never happen in Thailand?

I wonder how much of the heroin also "escaped"

[Buchholz]

Not surprising if during the processing of putting the seizure into the confiscation locker, the 36kg is somehow inadvertently logged in as 36mg

[chuang]

Simple, pay BIB some money and walks free...this is amazing thailand...

[LanxangBillybob]

Read it in the paper today - the four Musser (Red Lahu) were detained and got their picture in the paper while the kingpin got away. The prisons are full of these pawns that usually take the brunt of the punishment.

Mr. Prida will just go out and find some new ones.

[bdenner]

The local Mercedes Dealer is having a problem trying to figure how they going to fill an order for 100 vehicles in a hurry. In the mean time the local gold shops are doing a roaring trade as Missus Plod spends hubbies sudden windfall. :jap:

[hanno]

Stories like that just make my day

[PETDCAT]

Mr Prida and four alleged accomplices – two men and two women – were nabbed early Saturday by plainclothes police and US Drug Enforcement Authority agents posing as drug buyers in Fang district, Mr Pirapan said.

The DEA must really be impressed with their Thai counterparts.

[Gonzo the Face]

Mr Prida and four alleged accomplices – two men and two women – were nabbed early Saturday by plainclothes police and US Drug Enforcement Authority agents posing as drug buyers in Fang district, Mr Pirapan said.

The DEA must really be impressed with their Thai counterparts

.

....please not use the word 'counterparts'

This group of Police?????? , should not be considered counterparts to anyone or anything other Elmer Fudd and the Fuddettes..... with apologies to Elmer

:jap:

[gotlost]

Like I said follow the money.

[Steely Dan]

As I've observed before the Thai 'police' are a great example of what's known as agency capture where the group who are supposed to be being controlled take over control of their supposed controllers - In this case criminal mafia have taken over the police.

[slapout]

The Thai police seem to have a knack for capturing the gofers and the big boys escape, abscond, retreat to Cambodia, England, etc. The DEA is probably comparing the similarity between the BIB and the Federales of Mexico after this and other operations here. The DEA may have enough experience/insight to quickly see through fairy tales , so often presented.

[Steely Dan]

The Thai police seem to have a knack for capturing the gofers and the big boys escape, abscond, retreat to Cambodia, England, etc. The DEA is probably comparing the similarity between the BIB and the Federales of Mexico after this and other operations here. The DEA may have enough experience/insight to quickly see through fairy tales , so often presented.

Funny you should mention Mexico, there is a classic example of what happens when criminals actively collaborate with the police. Note also how some drug gang leaders were army chiefs who defected. Thailand take a glimse at a possible future scenario, do you want this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11174174