Three Arrested With 2.5 Million Meth Pills, 50 Kg Of Ice At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[webfact]

Three arrested with 2.5 million meth pills, 50 kg of ice

BANGKOK, March 17 -- Three suspects were arrested by Thai authorities with 2.5 million methamphetamine pills and 50 kg of crystal meth or 'ice' were seized on the departure level of Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung, in his capacity as the Director of the National Command Center for Drugs (NCCD), Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) Secretary General Pol Gen Adul Sangsingkeo and the Department of Special Investigation Director General Tharit Pengdit held a joint press conference over the arrest.

The trio were identified as Mr Domrong Sommawieng, 39, a Lamphun resident; Ms Hasruedee Arthonprachatid, 34, a Chiang Rai resident and Ms Parichat Charoonwit, 27 also a Chiang Rai resident.

According to questioning, the three told authorities that they rented a house in Chiang Rai to keep the illicit drugs before mailing them to a list of customers in Bangkok.

The three suspects said they have mailed the drugs through Thailand Post service 10 times but authorities said the people in the list and the mailing addresses did not actually exist.

The authorities said they received information and observed their movement since January and pretended to buy the drugs from the suspect before arresting them on March 16.

The three have criminal records for drug related offenses and authorities would investigate for more information.

Meanwhile, the National Police Bureau's Narcotics Suppression Bureau have arrested three Tai Yai ethnics who were delivering 72,000 meth pills and a quantity of ice to an agent in Nakhon Pathom last night.

The three, believed to be members of drug syndicate in the northern region were identified as Mr Pong Sumana, Mr Thanwa Panpuengboon and Mr Apichart Daengsakul.

Police said they transferred the drug to the central province of Nonthaburi before distributing to minor traders. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-03-17

[ParadiseLost]

At last we have a significant bust - not some pathetic effort to appease superiors. I am sure this is just a small indication of how bad the problem is.

How many more uniforms could they squeeze into the photo?

Makes one wonder how soon a Mexico-like drug war will break out here, then see how many grinning idiots want their photo taken...

Edited March 17, 2012 by ParadiseLost

[londonthai]

how it happen, that chiang mai residents with hundreds kilos of drugs were arrested on departure from bangkok? Where they were travelling and why?

[ChiangMaiThai]

I wonder how those 50 American DEA agents and Thai forces who busted the Africans with 5kg of pot or something a week or two ago in Lad Prao now feel.

Serious balls to try to fly with this much drugs. The fact that the flow of meth and Ice will continue as usual after this bust shows just how bad the problem really is.

[Soutpeel]

How many more uniforms could they squeeze into the photo?

At least no one pointing in this photo...makes a pleasant change

[miksguevara]

these are just the drug mules not the kingpins, just how stupid are these people?

[MESmith]

How much does a meths pill weigh? 100mg? So how much do 2.5 million weigh? 250kg? Plus 50kg of "ice" . Seems a lot for 3 people to be checking in with. Or my sums are wrong, or the report is wrong.....

[Unkomoncents]

Well at least some at Suvarnabhumi are properly fulfilling their job functions.

[Para]

It doesn’t add up IMO.

2.5M pills and 50kg's of ice is a LOT of weight. The wording for where they were arrested is vague "the departures floor' were they on the save lever but not departing? Also Thai's don’t carry gear out of the country when already stated their customers were Bangkok based.

Either way it’s a fair amount of gear someone won’t be sleeping well tonight....

[BookMan]

How many more uniforms could they squeeze into the photo?

At least no one pointing in this photo...makes a pleasant change

They're all too busy eyeing off the prize. Thinking of what could have been...

[Chang_paarp]

They were trying to get through the outbound immigration line when they were caught.

[meom]

how it happen, that chiang mai residents with hundreds kilos of drugs were arrested on departure from bangkok? Where they were travelling and why?

The way I read it the police set up a sting to buy the drugs at the airport departures level.

Makes sense because people are always handling bags over there.

[Soutpeel]

How much does a meths pill weigh? 100mg? So how much do 2.5 million weigh? 250kg? Plus 50kg of "ice" . Seems a lot for 3 people to be checking in with. Or my sums are wrong, or the report is wrong.....

They were obviously going to pay for the excess baggage, not a problem..!

[Kilgore Trout]

Since a nationality wasn't mentioned in the headline, I assumed when reading it they were Thai.

They still had to make the point that the other guys were Thai Yai "ethnics"

Thai press just loves making clear who is thai and who isn't

[Reasonableman]

Situation normal.

Since a nationality wasn't mentioned in the headline, I assumed when reading it they were Thai.

They still had to make the point that the other guys were Thai Yai "ethnics"

Thai press just loves making clear who is thai and who isn't

[Bakeman]

Good Job!

[londonthai]

The way I read it the police set up a sting to buy the drugs at the airport departures level.

Makes sense because people are always handling bags over there.

because of the security for the international passengers and flights, it's one of the most protected places in the country, with cameras, police and secret agents observing any irregularities.

[UKJASE]

theres seems to be a lot of drugs getting busted in thailand all the time, but out on the street i never really see any obvious druggies

back home in the uk u often see "smack heads" roaming the street, and the odd deal going down / shifty looking people...... but here i never see anyone who i would think is a druggie on the streets

i see meth heads on the tv from USA and they all look absolutely fvcked, no teeth, skinny as a rake, eyes on stalks etc..... how come i never see any obvious junkies here? where do they all hang out?

[squirrelboy]

...and as usual odious to boot!

Situation normal.

Since a nationality wasn't mentioned in the headline, I assumed when reading it they were Thai.

They still had to make the point that the other guys were Thai Yai "ethnics"

Thai press just loves making clear who is thai and who isn't

[Johpa]

At last we have a significant bust - not some pathetic effort to appease superiors. I am sure this is just a small indication of how bad the problem is.

Arresting three hapless nobodies is not a significant bust. These three are stil pretty low down the totel pole.

[damo]

When they start arresting senior police officers then you can call it significant.

[Bluespunk]

2.5million!!! Jesus that's a lot. What the hell were they they carrying them in? Must have stood out a mile.

[strollling]

She's a bit old at 34.

Will probably only do the first decade on her knees.

[ParadiseLost]

At last we have a significant bust - not some pathetic effort to appease superiors. I am sure this is just a small indication of how bad the problem is.

Arresting three hapless nobodies is not a significant bust. These three are stil pretty low down the totel pole.

When they start arresting senior police officers then you can call it significant.

Agree with both; I was referring to the quantity though - it sure beats the hell out of recent busts!

Just the tip of the iceberg...

[noitom]

Can we assume that the airport security official who slapped around the security worker at the metal detector on camera was in the photo? Whatever happened to him? Was there an arrest arising from breach of security? Was/is there a lawsuit underway by the Thai security agent who go repremanded and slapped around and said that he was having a nervous breakdown as a result of the incident? The followup accounting by The Nation is less than impressive. It's amazing how they just ignore a serious violation of rules, abuse of authority, and breach of security at a major international airport.

[meom]

The way I read it the police set up a sting to buy the drugs at the airport departures level.

Makes sense because people are always handling bags over there.

because of the security for the international passengers and flights, it's one of the most protected places in the country, with cameras, police and secret agents observing any irregularities.

I suppose you’re right but then again how much suspicion will you raise when you just walk around happily pushing your trolley loaded with bags full of dope.

People fly in/out of the airport with drugs on a regular basis and unless somebody’s been tipped off you won’t raise any suspicion at all is my guess.

Some might even argue that the cameras, secret police etc. are there to ensure a safe passage of contraband.

[jalansanitwong]

They were caught because they looked nervous and started sweating profusely which was the big give away,not pushing half a dozen airport trollies through the passenger terminal.... <deleted> ????????

[londonthai]

People fly in/out of the airport with drugs on a regular basis and unless somebody’s been tipped off you won’t raise any suspicion at all is my guess.

Some might even argue that the cameras, secret police etc. are there to ensure a safe passage of contraband.

looks, like you know more than I know

[GentlemanJim]

Well if your going to risk liberty for the rest of your life then you may as well go Big!

[chrisinth]

I could understand if the 3 suspects were arrested at the airport trying to leave the country without baggage, but being in possession of that amount (any amount!) of illegal drugs?

It must have been some sting run by the police, with throughfare promised, if the drugs were outbound. If it was a handover, why on earth would you pick a location like the departure section of an airport?

Still confused with the given facts. However, that is a lot of sh1t to get off the street, well done BiB!