One Killed, 950.000 Meth Tablet Seized In Mekong Drug Bust

[webfact]

Drug-trafficker killed

The Nation

Authorities yesterday engaged in a gunfight with drug traffickers on boats sailing down the Mekong River, apparently killing one before seizing 950,000 methamphetamine tablets.

No details about arrests were available. The boats were identified as Yu Xing 8 Hao and Hua Ping - both registered in China.

A source said a joint team of officials had followed these two suspicious boats after they entered Thai territory via the Golden Triangle.

"These boats suddenly accelerated when they came around to Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district. Maybe because they noticed by then that someone was following them," the source said.

Speedboats were launched to flag down the suspicious boats but the drug traders on the vessels responded by opening fire.

When the hail of bullets stopped, one man was found dead on Yu Xing 8 Hao, along with an assault rifle and the illicit drugs.

The source said Maj-General Prakarn Chonlayut, chief of the Phamuang Force, received a tip-off about the use of boats for yaba smuggling via the Mekong River and instructed the team of police, soldiers and administrative officials to watch out for them.

Meanwhile, Suchat Wong-ananchai, director-general of the Corrections Department, said surprise searches at 32 prisons uncovered 78 cellphones, 756 yaba tablets, 52 tubes of crystal meth and 800 modified weapons and gambling gear.

"These are prohibited items. Prison wardens and officials have already been instructed to solve the problem or else they will be punished," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-06

[SunDaRi]

Start of another killing spree?

[luvU2much500THB]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

[scotbeve]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

One... count ... just one. AND he was a drug trafficker. Authorities were fired upon and fired back. I don't think this counts as either a spree or extra-judicial killing. In the north, not too far from the Burmese border about 10 years ago, schools had to have independent inspectors come in and test the cafeteria food, drinks stations, and snack kiosks due to these items being tested positive for ya baa. So you can be as self-righteous as you wish, but if unsuspecting students get hooked on meth (or your own children...) I don't have the slightest speck of sympathy for the actual drug running mules. They reap what they sow!

[hanuman2543]

Prison wardens and officials have already been instructed to solve the problem or else they will be punished," he said.

Another frightening 5% paycut for 3 months??

Edited October 6, 2011 by hanuman2543

[angsta]

Did they forget to read them their rights before they returned fire?

Armed drug runners die in shot out with police is hardly OTT. What would they have done in the U.S.?

If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.

[djlest]

i saw a strange site last week on the motorway

About 5 long trucks with containers on and a police convoy of about 5 cars on the back and 5 in the front

Whatever was inside them containers was certainly worth something...

It was on its way into BKK...

[ralphlsasser]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

One... count ... just one. AND he was a drug trafficker. Authorities were fired upon and fired back. I don't think this counts as either a spree or extra-judicial killing. In the north, not too far from the Burmese border about 10 years ago, schools had to have independent inspectors come in and test the cafeteria food, drinks stations, and snack kiosks due to these items being tested positive for ya baa. So you can be as self-righteous as you wish, but if unsuspecting students get hooked on meth (or your own children...) I don't have the slightest speck of sympathy for the actual drug running mules. They reap what they sow!

That statement is spot on.

[jamstock]

And the "war" that can never be won continues. How sad.....

[scotbeve]

And the "war" that can never be won continues. How sad.....

I agree with you jam.... legalization / regulation / treatment / taxing are the only the logical, sensible routes.

[rucus7]

Police again received a tip off. These stories almost always seem to be based on receiving a tip off. I cannot recall these drug arrests being made via police investigative work. Anyone else wonder what is going on? Is it just a matter of eliminating the competition? Who is doing all this tipping off?

[Swiss1960]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

Killing a smuggler that first tries to shoot the police can hardly be called a killing spree.... but rather well deserved fate for the smuggler...

[Swiss1960]

Police again received a tip off. These stories almost always seem to be based on receiving a tip off. I cannot recall these drug arrests being made via police investigative work. Anyone else wonder what is going on? Is it just a matter of eliminating the competition? Who is doing all this tipping off?

Well, I see two options:

1) Somebody tips off the police to eliminate his competition, as you mentioned..

2) Policy might have infiltrated the smuggling ring and now receives inside tips but certainly will not tell the media...

BUT based on what I read about how highly most guys here think of the Thai police... I would assume that most of you guys will tend to reject option 2...

[plumeria]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

One... count ... just one. AND he was a drug trafficker. Authorities were fired upon and fired back. I don't think this counts as either a spree or extra-judicial killing. In the north, not too far from the Burmese border about 10 years ago, schools had to have independent inspectors come in and test the cafeteria food, drinks stations, and snack kiosks due to these items being tested positive for ya baa. So you can be as self-righteous as you wish, but if unsuspecting students get hooked on meth (or your own children...) I don't have the slightest speck of sympathy for the actual drug running mules. They reap what they sow!

As much as I hate being a conservative old fart defending the man, a million hits of speed out of circulation (I hope) is a good thing.

And only ONE guy dead? The million hits of speed would surely have killed many more.

Not bad policing although I note they only discovered the drugs because of a snitch, not detective work.

A good result overall.

[scotbeve]

Start of another killing spree?

Seems so......

One... count ... just one. AND he was a drug trafficker. Authorities were fired upon and fired back. I don't think this counts as either a spree or extra-judicial killing. In the north, not too far from the Burmese border about 10 years ago, schools had to have independent inspectors come in and test the cafeteria food, drinks stations, and snack kiosks due to these items being tested positive for ya baa. So you can be as self-righteous as you wish, but if unsuspecting students get hooked on meth (or your own children...) I don't have the slightest speck of sympathy for the actual drug running mules. They reap what they sow!

As much as I hate being a conservative old fart defending the man, a million hits of speed out of circulation (I hope) is a good thing.

And only ONE guy dead? The million hits of speed would surely have killed many more.

Not bad policing although I note they only discovered the drugs because of a snitch, not detective work.

A good result overall.

Sad to say, but that's how it usually works in Thailand. The mules didn't pay enough tea money to "others"....

[dean999]

Police again received a tip off. These stories almost always seem to be based on receiving a tip off. I cannot recall these drug arrests being made via police investigative work. Anyone else wonder what is going on? Is it just a matter of eliminating the competition? Who is doing all this tipping off?

Well, I see two options:

1) Somebody tips off the police to eliminate his competition, as you mentioned..

2) Policy might have infiltrated the smuggling ring and now receives inside tips but certainly will not tell the media...

BUT based on what I read about how highly most guys here think of the Thai police... I would assume that most of you guys will tend to reject option 2...

They would be infiltrating there own ring. Ouch.

[jeanelie]

I agree with you jam.... legalization / regulation / treatment / taxing are the only the logical, sensible routes.

How foolish and selfish people react. Drugs, to start with cannabis must never get in a legal circuit. It must be fougt.

Some countries, especially in Europe, are since decades tolerant towards wat they call soft drugs. All results from soft left political influence. 25 years ago someone had to go look and find himself if he wanted ex. cannabis. Nowadays he does not have to look for it. He knows dealers on almost every corner of the street. Another point if we keep on talking about cannabis, the actual sold product nowadays contains a five-ten fold of THC (the active stuff) what makes the dependency lots higher. Actual studies prove finally that dependency on hard drugs in most cases started with dependency on so called soft drugs. Your kids going out, your kids at school, everywhere they get confronted with it and they are forced many times to choose between cannabis and ... their friends. Inform them wisely and hope they will choose wisely.

Only one way zero tolerance. Kill the drugs before they kill our children.

[Richard4849]

Police again received a tip off. These stories almost always seem to be based on receiving a tip off. I cannot recall these drug arrests being made via police investigative work. Anyone else wonder what is going on? Is it just a matter of eliminating the competition? Who is doing all this tipping off?

Who cares as long as the information keeps coming in and is accurate?

[scotbeve]

Jeanelle,

Re post #17

Then you should also disapprove prescription pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and tobacco. Pharmaceuticals are extremely abused in the west! I don't even have to mention alcohol and tobacco again do I?

[jeanelie]

Jeanelle,

Re post #17

Then you should also disapprove prescription pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and tobacco. Pharmaceuticals are extremely abused in the west! I don't even have to mention alcohol and tobacco again do I?

What I disapprove I will decide myself, I do not need your help for that. I try to stay near the subject and applaud every severe action against drugtraffic.I do not consider it my task to say what you should consider.

By the way my name is Jeanelie as you surely know.

Wishing you a pleasant day, Scotbeaver.

[scotbeve]

Jeanelle,

Re post #17

Then you should also disapprove prescription pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and tobacco. Pharmaceuticals are extremely abused in the west! I don't even have to mention alcohol and tobacco again do I?

What I disapprove I will decide myself, I do not need your help for that. I try to stay near the subject and applaud every severe action against drugtraffic.I do not consider it my task to say what you should consider.

By the way my name is Jeanelie as you surely know.

Wishing you a pleasant day, Scotbeaver.

Pardon Jeanelie.... I wasn't wearing my glasses when looking at your name. I think you were not wearing yours as well no? Bien!

Yes... to each his own as you say! I am not forcing this on you and vice-a-verse.... It is good to look at all angles, no? Drug trafficking, yes, severe penalties! You see? We have common ground. Where there is prohibition, there is crime.

[philhal2]

Did they forget to read them their rights before they returned fire?

Armed drug runners die in shot out with police is hardly OTT. What would they have done in the U.S.?

If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.

" Under fire their rights are read to them with the morse code generated by return gunfire , Unfortunately I am from an older generation and have no sympathy for druggies , bludgers , Dealers , Gamblers and many others who abuse any type of addictive substance . More power to the police if they shoot a few more drug runners and dealers before they kill some more kids

[jackr]

And the "war" that can never be won continues. How sad.....

I agree with you jam.... legalization / regulation / treatment / taxing are the only the logical, sensible routes.

It doesn't actually work in Holland, of all places, so you can bet your bottom dollar it won't work here. Extermination of manufacturers and pushers is only way.

[rucus7]

How foolish and selfish people react. Drugs, to start with cannabis must never get in a legal circuit. It must be fougt.

Some countries, especially in Europe, are since decades tolerant towards wat they call soft drugs. All results from soft left political influence. 25 years ago someone had to go look and find himself if he wanted ex. cannabis. Nowadays he does not have to look for it. He knows dealers on almost every corner of the street. Another point if we keep on talking about cannabis, the actual sold product nowadays contains a five-ten fold of THC (the active stuff) what makes the dependency lots higher. Actual studies prove finally that dependency on hard drugs in most cases started with dependency on so called soft drugs. Your kids going out, your kids at school, everywhere they get confronted with it and they are forced many times to choose between cannabis and ... their friends. Inform them wisely and hope they will choose wisely.

Only one way zero tolerance. Kill the drugs before they kill our children.

You raise some interesting points. Let me expand on them. First of all, there are no viable dependency studies on self administered THC. If that is a soft drug you are referring to. Gateway drugs however, Tobacco and alcohol, both readily available and legal if in the age of majority. Youth also have a relatively easy time obtaining them. And both are known to have the potential of creating addiction. Peer group pressure for adolescents comes in the form of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol first. So where I would disagree with your statement, is in regards to cannabis. It is not a gateway drug, at best it is a distant third after tobacco and alcohol. Also it remains unproven in clinical studies as to the potential of it becoming physiologically addictive.

Edited October 6, 2011 by rucus7

[Swiss1960]

And the "war" that can never be won continues. How sad.....

I agree with you jam.... legalization / regulation / treatment / taxing are the only the logical, sensible routes.

It doesn't actually work in Holland, of all places, so you can bet your bottom dollar it won't work here. Extermination of manufacturers and pushers is only way.

You can't use Holland as an example, cause they only legalized SOFT drugs... but since their police does not any more have to hunt down kiddies with a gran of THC in their pockets, they have more ressourced for the "extermination" of manufacturers and pushers... THAT IS what works...

[Swiss1960]

You raise some interesting points. Let me expand on them. First of all, there are no viable dependency studies on self administered THC. If that is a soft drug you are referring to. Gateway drugs however, Tobacco and alcohol, both readily available and legal if in the age of majority. Youth also have a relatively easy time obtaining them. And both are known to have the potential of creating addiction. Peer group pressure for adolescents comes in the form of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol first. So where I would disagree with your statement, is in regards to cannabis. It is not a gateway drug, at best it is a distant third after tobacco and alcohol. Also it remains unproven in clinical studies as to the potential of it becoming physiologically addictive.

Agree with you. Smoking and Alcohol causes many more and much more serious problems to the health systems as well as broken families caused by alcohol addict parents beating up their partners and kids... I've smoked my weed when I was young, never got addict to it, never even thought about taking anything stronger...

[TAWP]

Actual studies prove finally that dependency on hard drugs in most cases started with dependency on so called soft drugs.

Indeed, apart from the fact that studies don't prove such assertion.

Or did you mean it started with alcohol and tobacco?

[jamstock]

Prohibition never has and never will work, whether the drug is alcohol, cannabis or cocaine. Some people want to get high, and telling them not to do it will not deter them. On the contrary it will probably make them want to do it more.

If you want to reduce drug abuse, then legalize everything. It will also take the money out of criminals' pockets.

[jeanelie]

Actual studies prove finally that dependency on hard drugs in most cases started with dependency on so called soft drugs.

Indeed, apart from the fact that studies don't prove such assertion.

Or did you mean it started with alcohol and tobacco?

No problem my dear. Would you give your kid the same answer?

[longtom]

How foolish and selfish people react. Drugs, to start with cannabis must never get in a legal circuit. It must be fougt.

Some countries, especially in Europe, are since decades tolerant towards wat they call soft drugs. All results from soft left political influence. 25 years ago someone had to go look and find himself if he wanted ex. cannabis. Nowadays he does not have to look for it. He knows dealers on almost every corner of the street. Another point if we keep on talking about cannabis, the actual sold product nowadays contains a five-ten fold of THC (the active stuff) what makes the dependency lots higher. Actual studies prove finally that dependency on hard drugs in most cases started with dependency on so called soft drugs. Your kids going out, your kids at school, everywhere they get confronted with it and they are forced many times to choose between cannabis and ... their friends. Inform them wisely and hope they will choose wisely.

Only one way zero tolerance. Kill the drugs before they kill our children.

Good to see you have your priorities right.

Can we go back to the topic of really dangerous drugs now? Ever heard of meth and its effects on users? Ever been sitting on a bus where the driver was obviously on yaba, or seen a crazed guy on yaba with a knife on a child's throat?