More Than 1,000 Arrested In Bangkok Drug Raids

[webfact]

More than 1,000 arrested in raids

By The Nation

Huge quantity of drugs and weapons seized in simultaneous crackdowns

Bangkok police yesterday made multiple arrests and seized a large volume of narcotics in several simultaneous raids yesterday, the start of the month's deadline the government has given the police force to crackdown on drug traffickers.

Some 696 people were arrested as part of raids in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon and Thon Buri areas, while another 439 people were netted in 58 raids in Pathum Thani. Many of the suspects were part of the blacklists of both police and anti-narcotics agencies.

The raids targeted mostly slums and communities inhabited by low-income earners, and turned up a large number of handguns and an M-16 assault rifle, machetes and other arms, many stolen motorcycles and cares, and other illegal items.

Among the key suspects arrested were Surachai Tohuapa and Usa Sawang-arom, who were caught in possession of 30,000 amphetamine tablets and 4 kilograms of "ice" flakes, as well as Suthep Bunkrajang and Amor Thanoosa, who were arrested in separate raids. Many of the suspects are also wanted for other crimes ranging from murder and rape to trivial offences.

The government gave the police one month, starting from yesterday, to crack down on the drug trade in Thailand, under strict orders that extra judicial measures only be used if the suspects resist arrest or are violent.

The Interior Ministry has launched an anti-narcotics operation to tackle drug abuse during the festive season, by mobilising more policemen, conducting extra searches and setting up checkpoints at main roads across the country to control the transport of drugs.

Police and military officers along the border area have also been alerted to watch out for drug smugglers, said Chachoensao provincial governor Suraphol Phongthadsirikul, who is leading the ministry's operation.

Meanwhile, betting shops in many provinces have temporarily closed down after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed to tackle the problem after he received reports that many Internet cafes in Thailand were showing live broadcasts of casinos in Cambodia's Poi Pet to encourage gambling.

Around 30 shops in Ubon Thani have closed, especially those that have a sticker reading "T-G-TK" - a signal that they have the police in their pay. The stickers have reportedly been removed to cut down the chances of them becoming targets allegedly at the suggestion of local police.

Many shops in Chaiyaphum have also closed down, while most Internet cafes are being strict with their closing hours. A source in Khon Kaen said there were more than 80 Internet cafe still broadcasting live shots of gambling in Cambodian casinos. Abhisit said the cyber crime laws would be enforced carefully so it does not violate privacy or civil rights of innocent operators or the general public.

-- The Nation 2010-12-24

[Colabamumbai]

And how many police officers were arrested?

[nikster]

And how many police officers were arrested?

The police in Thailand is very successful arresting drug dealers - because any other time of the year, they're taking their money.

Now they arrest them all, some will get out, some will get locked up, and new ones will come in, and everything starts over. Spring cleaning!

[asiawatcher]

Or the drug lords will tell the dealers to get rid of the competition, new cartels will form and far stronger than before with the 'occasional' cop to keep it a legitimate operation!

But 696 in a day - how many police did it take - 1,000? and if they can do that within 24 hours of being notified to do so then why have they not done it before? And don't forget the public display of arms, drugs and the perpetrators. All PR for the BiB.

No - this story will only get better to be sure.

[soundman]

But 696 in a day - how many police did it take - 1,000? and if they can do that within 24 hours of being notified to do so then why have they not done it before? And don't forget the public display of arms, drugs and the perpetrators. All PR for the BiB.

No - this story will only get better to be sure.

To quote 1950's police chief Phao Siriyanon.

To encourage the police to rid Thailand of drugs within three months, the prime minister quoted the 1950s police chief, Phao Siriyanon: “there is nothing under the sun that the Thai police cannot do”.

The achievements for which Phao and his police force have gone down in history are assassinating MPs and smuggling drugs.

Interesting reading. Link.

[surayu]

" a sticker reading "T-G-TK" - a signal that they have the police in their pay." <--- That made my day, thanks, the next signal to made people under special protection recognizable can be a pair of big Mickey Mouse ears to wear while on duty, nobody it's going to find out this time .

Edit: size

Edited December 24, 2010 by surayu

[Who, me ?]

interesting question

And how many police officers were arrested?

[Hili]

they should arrest the suppliers not the users!

[k9inkrabi]

they should arrest the suppliers not the users!

It appears they did arrest a few dealers, unless 30,000 tablets and 4 kikos of heroin was for personal use.

[Neonben]

they should arrest the suppliers not the users!

It appears they did arrest a few dealers, unless 30,000 tablets and 4 kikos of heroin was for personal use.

Well it is Christmas and New Years just round the corner.

[hardy1943]

" a sticker reading "T-G-TK" - a signal that they have the police in their pay." <--- That made my day, thanks, the next signal to made people under special protection recognizable can be a pair of big Mickey Mouse ears to wear while on duty, nobody it's going to find out this time .

Edit: size

AMAZING THAILAND

[zorro1]

Give me a badge and a gun and I will make 669 arrests in a week. Starting in a certain bar soi 3.

[reason1]

West can't beat the drugs problem so now UK is talking about legalizing distribution to take the criminals out of it as some countries have already. Is it a lost cause as now it starts in school?

[ukinbkk]

I don't see any black faces in the picture, why? They are all along shukhumvit selling their drugs, this I know because of personal experiance.. Africans in Shukhumvit sois 4,7,11 and many, many more.. Hanging around on the street corners.. Come on, clean up!!

[Jayman]

they should arrest the suppliers not the users!

It appears they did arrest a few dealers, unless 30,000 tablets and 4 kikos of heroin was for personal use.

Ice flakes is not heroine but rather Methamphetamines.

[meaowma]

Come on guys that is 30,000 tablets and 4 kikos of heroin that are not on the streets anymore and unless you are a user you should be happy and congratulate the achievement no matter how it came about. Happy Christmas

[LivinLOS]

and 4 kikos of heroin was for personal use.

Ice isnt smack..

[Shotime]

It's a good start, but if the government doesn't provide better treatment options for the users, the problem will never go away. The problem lies with the consumer, not the supplier. What a terrible addiction.

[phuketrichard]

ice is worse than smack.

hey give them some credit as this will drive the prices up for the dealers for the holiday season.

[Nisa]

they should arrest the suppliers not the users!

It appears they did arrest a few dealers, unless 30,000 tablets and 4 kikos of heroin was for personal use.

Looks like that haul came from one couple.

I find it extremely hard to believe that 1,000 people in the BKK area were arrested in one day and actually in possession of drugs. Even in a city like Los Angeles, where drugs are rampant and sold openly in many neighborhoods, this would be a very very difficult task. I realize the laws are different here but this story sounds very very fishy. The manpower involved in such an operation would be huge. Even if there was an average of 5 people in each house/apartment/business they made arrests this would require 200 police raids. Or if they went to bars doing drug testing and got an average of 10 people at each bar, they would need to raid 100 bars all in a single day (night).

I do have to admit I know little about the illegal drug market in Bangkok but I do know it is way less prevalent than most major western cities where it can be found and purchased very easily and sold openly on the street in many areas. But even when police do stings in these very heavily drug trafficked areas, they don't make 1,000 arrests in a single day. The rare times they make anywhere near 100 arrests are after months of investigations and decide to serve the warrants on people all on the same day and this usually involves multiple police agencies and the charges are not only drugs but related to all sorts of gang activity.

Any chance that somewhere along the line in the paper work an extra 0 (zero) was added to the number of arrested??????

Edited December 24, 2010 by Nisa

[deanieweenie]

The Thai Policew need to line their corrupt pockets.. Its Christmas

[rammis35]

"Around 30 shops in Ubon Thani have closed, especially those that have a sticker reading "T-G-TK" - a signal that they have the police in their pay. The stickers have reportedly been removed to cut down the chances of them becoming targets allegedly at the suggestion of local police."

So what this is saying is the Police told the shops to take down the stickers so they wouldn't be raided. I thought they were suppose to be arresting these people not hiding them...

[hardy1943]

And how many police officers were arrested?

The police in Thailand is very successful arresting drug dealers - because any other time of the year, they're taking their money.

Now they arrest them all, some will get out, some will get locked up, and new ones will come in, and everything starts over. Spring cleaning!

The are good to arresting the small fry! How about the wales? Scared to find out who they are?

[surayu]

So what this is saying is the Police told the shops to take down the stickers so they wouldn't be raided. I thought they were suppose to be arresting these people not hiding them...

And whom is going to arrest the arresters, as they are not less guilty in covering up their victims and extorting them moneys? and someone would need also to arrest whom is keeping the arrested people in such a dishumane condition, whatever their crimes could have been and so on....

[TheGhostWithin]

From what I can read (between the lines) on this article, 1000 were arrested in relation to drugs. 4 of those were persons of high interst to Police. Some others were wanted for other crimes, related or unrelated to drug activities it does not mention.

A large number of those arrested were on the Police books, indicating they had evidence of historical dealing, or use, rather than actual posession o use.

Sounds to me like 696 were taken in, on questioning related to drugs and that some of those (an unmentioned number that will probably be created later by a roll of the dice) were arrested for actualy posession.

Good on the Police for getting rid of these scum. Great suggestion , to remoive those African dealers that hang around Soi 3 and the area between Soi 11 and Soi 13 on Sukhumvit - those guys are annoying punks. Most of them do not have valid visas either, or run on ghost jobs to hide their real activities.

Go the BIB for doing the right thing.

[TheGhostWithin]

"Around 30 shops in Ubon Thani have closed, especially those that have a sticker reading "T-G-TK" - a signal that they have the police in their pay. The stickers have reportedly been removed to cut down the chances of them becoming targets allegedly at the suggestion of local police."

So what this is saying is the Police told the shops to take down the stickers so they wouldn't be raided. I thought they were suppose to be arresting these people not hiding them...

The shops are in Udon Thani, and the Police there are as corrupt as they come. They let the red shirts burn down the Town Hall there and did nothing.

To open any business as a Farang there you HAVE to pay the Police or you get shut down. If you run a night time entertainment venue (dodgy or not), you HAVE to pay them. If you are a Farang and you are pulled up for any reason, you HAVE to pay them, regardless of uif you did wrong or not. Every friend I have had in Udon that has been pulled over by them has had to pay some sort of fee.

[moetownblues]

Why is it in every arrest in Thailand everyone lines up behind the offenders to get thier photo's taken looking so smug and proud of themselves? They couldn't possibly get another person into this pic.

[BlackJack]

come to sunny Pattaya

now open 24 /7

you can get whatever you want

no crack down here

[dude007]

Now I understand... I was driving yesterday morning from Korat to BKK at a reasonable speed (120-130) and was stopped three times at a massive police road block... Each time I said to myself: there I go ... this time I'm busted! But no, when they saw my farang face and no one else in the car, I was friendly requested to continue my road even with a hand shake! It was clearly something else they were looking for!

Good job, no matter how much the men-in-brown are involved themselves in this murky business. Good initiative from the Government! I hope it's stays clean with no random killings like we were used under the Taksin administration! Start framing the small guys and end up with the big ones if time is not running out! A general without soldiers is meant to lose.

[meom]

I do have to admit I know little about the illegal drug market in Bangkok but I do know it is way less prevalent than most major western cities where it can be found and purchased very easily and sold openly on the street in many areas.

The only thing that’s less prevalent is open street dealing which is mainly done by the Africans along Sukhumvit.

Other than that drugs are as prevalent as in major western cities. Thai dealers operate mostly indoors and you have to place your order through an agent. Once the agent has enough orders he/she takes delivery from somebody higher up after which the individual orders are distributed mostly through taxi/motor cycle drivers. Same as the illegal lottery it’s all pretty well organized with the police taking their cut here and there.