Thailand's Anti-Narcotics Police Arrest 5 Suspects With Bt78 Million In Drugs

[webfact]

Five suspects nabbed with Bt78 million in drugs

BANGKOK, March 19 – Thailand's anti-narcotics police arrested five drug trafficking suspects and seized methamphetamine pills as well as crystal methamphetamine with a total street value of Bt78 million (US$2.6 million) in two separate cases.

Sutat Panjee, Seksan Sornsupap and Palida Rattanawiroon were arrested in the eastern seaside town of Pattaya, Chon Buri with 200,000 meth pills, valued at Bt60 million ($2 million), police from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau announced Monday at a news briefing.

The drug police and Chiang Rai’s Mae Chan police were tipped off that there would be a drug smuggling run from neighbouring Myanmar at Mae Sai district into Thailand. Speed pills were to be transported by inter-provincial bus to Pattaya.

Mr Sutat was apprehended while picking up the drugs at an inter-provincial bus firm in Pattaya.

The arrest of the two other suspects--- Mr Seksan and Ms Palida--- came after Mr Sutat said that the two persons would pick up the meth pills from him in order to sell them to Thai and foreign tourists.

Mr Sutat confessed that he began trading drugs in 2010.

In another drug-related case, a combined force of the anti-narcotics police with Chiang Rai police detained two ethnic Hmong men, Sombat sae Lee and Sonthidet Jaratchoti, and impounded six kilogrammes of crystal meth (ice), worth Bt18 million ($600,000), in Nonthaburi’s Bang Kruai district.

The duo ran an air-conditioner repair business in Nonthaburi but secretly sold drugs to customers in Nonthaburi’s Bang Yai area. The crystal meth was sent from the northern province of Lampang, according to police intelligence.

As a result, the police closely observed their behaviour before the arrests were made.

Initially, Mr Sombat and Mr Sonthidet were charged with possessing illegal drugs for sale.

The goal of suppressing illicit drugs was one of the government's key policies announced during the election campaign of the Pheu Thai Party.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung, in his capacity as Director of the National Command Center for Drugs (NCCD), addressed the public in the weekly TV programme "Yingluck Government Meets the People" which aired Jan 28 that the drug problem was on the national agenda and he intended to eradicate it from Thailand. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-03-19

[webfact]

Five Arrested for Drug Dealing

BANGKOK: -- Police have arrested five suspected drug dealers in two separate cases and seized 200,000 methamphetamine pills. Three suspected drug gang members identified as Suthat Panchee, Seksan Sonsupap and Palita Ratanawirun, have been arrested with 200,000 methamphetamine pills worth an estimated 60 million baht.

The arrest came after police from Mae Chan police station in Chiang Rai Province received a tip-off about a large-scale drug smuggling in the border area in Mae Sai District. The drug was transported to the tourist city of Pattaya in Chonburi Province in an air-conditioned bus of a tour company.

Suthat was nabbed first at the tour company in Pattaya and confessed that he intended to deliver the pills to customers.

Police were able to track down two more suspects from his information.

The group has been trafficking drugs since 2010. They received narcotics from a drug network in Myanmar and sell them to tourists in Pattaya.

In a separate case, officers from the Chiang Rai police station detained two Hmong people, Sombat Saelee and Sonthidet Charuschote, and seized six kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, also known as Ice, worth 18 million baht.

The two opened an air-conditioner repair shop as a front to sell drugs delivered from Lampang. They were arrested at Nonthaburi's Bang Kruay District and were charged with possession of drugs for sale.

-- Tan Network 2012-03-19

[londonthai]

78+18=96mln B

or 3 with 78mln and 2 with 18mln

[Gone]

Good one Police !!!!!! Keep it up and save the children !!!!!!!!!

[BookMan]

This is the 3rd reasonably large drug bust in a few weeks? The police seem to be doing some type of good job.

[TheWalkingMan]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

[bigbamboo]

This is the 3rd reasonably large drug bust in a few weeks? The police seem to be doing some type of good job.

Chalerm seems to be in line for the Minister of the Month award.

Edited March 19, 2012 by bigbamboo

[Soi Sauce]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

[BookMan]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

I think there is some degree of staging probably, yes. But I like to remain an optimist and think that there might be interest form some law officials in stemming the drug trade. I could well be naive in this respect.

[BookMan]

This is the 3rd reasonably large drug bust in a few weeks? The police seem to be doing some type of good job.

Chalerm seems to be in line for the Minister of the Month award.

In that case it would be good to see Chalerm go for Minister of The Month award for a few consecutive months.

[bigbamboo]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

I think there is some degree of staging probably, yes. But I like to remain an optimist and think that there might be interest form some law officials in stemming the drug trade. I could well be naive in this respect.

I've seen a few fake busts in Thailand.

[kawaiimomo]

LOL at Erradicate the drugs. Drugs are everywhere because many people NEED them. The only thing a government can do is to try to control them and their trade as much as it can do. I think ya baa is a serious problem here, I have taken methamphetamine before and I have never though of killing/fighting/robbing someone, so I guess the stuff here is not pure.

I know these kind of drugs are not the same as smoking some spliff or some other drugs that won't change your behaviour even if you are stoned to death, but I read some news reports and it just make me feel mad to know what some people can do under the influence of these kind of drugs. I am a drug user myself and I could never think of harming anyone [put strangers and family here], not even if I don't have money to pay for my drugs (in that case I would just stop it as I did many times before); And if I know I go crazy everytime I am high I would stay locked at home (This is what I do when I drink, because so much alcohol makes me do things I wouldn't do normally [but this is no problem if I smoke ganja, opium or even take some ecstasy]). Just wondering what shit they put in those drugs. Not sure if the drugs are the responsible ones or it is the people taking them, you need to be consequent

[miksguevara]

LOL at Erradicate the drugs. Drugs are everywhere because many people NEED them. The only thing a government can do is to try to control them and their trade as much as it can do. I think ya baa is a serious problem here, I have taken methamphetamine before and I have never though of killing/fighting/robbing someone, so I guess the stuff here is not pure.

I know these kind of drugs are not the same as smoking some spliff or some other drugs that won't change your behaviour even if you are stoned to death, but I read some news reports and it just make me feel mad to know what some people can do under the influence of these kind of drugs. I am a drug user myself and I could never think of harming anyone [put strangers and family here], not even if I don't have money to pay for my drugs (in that case I would just stop it as I did many times before); And if I know I go crazy everytime I am high I would stay locked at home (This is what I do when I drink, because so much alcohol makes me do things I wouldn't do normally [but this is no problem if I smoke ganja, opium or even take some ecstasy]). Just wondering what shit they put in those drugs. Not sure if the drugs are the responsible ones or it is the people taking them, you need to be consequent

thank your lucky stars that the stuff you took wasn't pure, Im not gonna judge you for taking drugs ( Ive taken enough myself in younger years ) but come on cyrstal meth? Are you mad?

[Thaddeus]

This is the 3rd reasonably large drug bust in a few weeks? The police seem to be doing some type of good job.

Chalerm seems to be in line for the Minister of the Month award.

He has to go for something,.... I doubt that he would have the good grace and manners to get 5 gold stars from Ronald.

[Thaddeus]

Good one Police !!!!!! Keep it up and save the children !!!!!!!!!

Good one Police !!!!! keep it up and eradicate the competition.

[Gone]

LOL at Erradicate the drugs. Drugs are everywhere because many people NEED them. The only thing a government can do is to try to control them and their trade as much as it can do. I think ya baa is a serious problem here, I have taken methamphetamine before and I have never though of killing/fighting/robbing someone, so I guess the stuff here is not pure.

I know these kind of drugs are not the same as smoking some spliff or some other drugs that won't change your behaviour even if you are stoned to death, but I read some news reports and it just make me feel mad to know what some people can do under the influence of these kind of drugs. I am a drug user myself and I could never think of harming anyone [put strangers and family here], not even if I don't have money to pay for my drugs (in that case I would just stop it as I did many times before); And if I know I go crazy everytime I am high I would stay locked at home (This is what I do when I drink, because so much alcohol makes me do things I wouldn't do normally [but this is no problem if I smoke ganja, opium or even take some ecstasy]). Just wondering what shit they put in those drugs. Not sure if the drugs are the responsible ones or it is the people taking them, you need to be consequent

Sounds like denial to me.

[damo]

LOL at Erradicate the drugs. Drugs are everywhere because many people NEED them. The only thing a government can do is to try to control them and their trade as much as it can do. I think ya baa is a serious problem here, I have taken methamphetamine before and I have never though of killing/fighting/robbing someone, so I guess the stuff here is not pure.

I know these kind of drugs are not the same as smoking some spliff or some other drugs that won't change your behaviour even if you are stoned to death, but I read some news reports and it just make me feel mad to know what some people can do under the influence of these kind of drugs. I am a drug user myself and I could never think of harming anyone [put strangers and family here], not even if I don't have money to pay for my drugs (in that case I would just stop it as I did many times before); And if I know I go crazy everytime I am high I would stay locked at home (This is what I do when I drink, because so much alcohol makes me do things I wouldn't do normally [but this is no problem if I smoke ganja, opium or even take some ecstasy]). Just wondering what shit they put in those drugs. Not sure if the drugs are the responsible ones or it is the people taking them, you need to be consequent

I'd be the last person to judge and first to agree, I don't take drugs, might choof to occasional splif, but I agree, I have never heard of someone getting heaps stoned and beating up thier missus. There will allways be something, you could find a positive change in society by partially legalising smoko, and you may see a decrease in harder drug use.

[Thaddeus]

LOL at Erradicate the drugs. Drugs are everywhere because many people NEED them. The only thing a government can do is to try to control them and their trade as much as it can do. I think ya baa is a serious problem here, I have taken methamphetamine before and I have never though of killing/fighting/robbing someone, so I guess the stuff here is not pure.

I know these kind of drugs are not the same as smoking some spliff or some other drugs that won't change your behaviour even if you are stoned to death, but I read some news reports and it just make me feel mad to know what some people can do under the influence of these kind of drugs. I am a drug user myself and I could never think of harming anyone [put strangers and family here], not even if I don't have money to pay for my drugs (in that case I would just stop it as I did many times before); And if I know I go crazy everytime I am high I would stay locked at home (This is what I do when I drink, because so much alcohol makes me do things I wouldn't do normally [but this is no problem if I smoke ganja, opium or even take some ecstasy]). Just wondering what shit they put in those drugs. Not sure if the drugs are the responsible ones or it is the people taking them, you need to be consequent

Sounds like denial to me.

No it doesn't.

Man is a beast at best, only well behaved by social constrictions and inhibitions, the number one remover of those factors is alcohol, and that's legal.... I would rather be confronted with a pot head than a drunk any day of the week.

Opium - not going to see them for at least ten hours.

Cocaine - too busy.

Amphetamines - whoosh.

Ice - bad news, ban it.

Heroin - death trap.

Alcohol - all of the above.

[mijan24]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

I think there is some degree of staging probably, yes. But I like to remain an optimist and think that there might be interest form some law officials in stemming the drug trade. I could well be naive in this respect.

I've seen a few fake busts in Thailand.

Aha somebody with a little bit of foresight at last

Edited March 20, 2012 by mijan24

[tragickingdom]

It is never a smart move to get involved in drug smuggling, but in Thailand it must be particularly hard for drugs criminals, after all half the Thais are police informers and would have made the East German Satsi proud.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I'd be the last person to judge and first to agree, I don't take drugs, might choof to occasional splif, but I agree, I have never heard of someone getting heaps stoned and beating up thier missus. There will allways be something, you could find a positive change in society by partially legalising smoko, and you may see a decrease in harder drug use.

We're not talking about ganja here, meth, yabaa etc are seriously dangerous stuff, both to the individual and society. Legalize the natural stuff sure, everything less dangerous than alcohol OK makes sense, but these chemicals, no way, if I were sure they were guilty I'd say a summary bullet in the back of the head would be letting them off easy.

But unfortunately here the BiB are most likely just eliminating the competition, or if they've already got a full monopoly then just staging PR exercises.

[belg]

wow, crime really does pay and very well apparently ...

guess someone forgot to pay the BIB's share

for every drug seller and user: they might as well put rat poisin in each of the tablets... problem would be solved once and for all

to the sellers : make them eat the 200.000 pills

Edited March 20, 2012 by belg

[unanimosity]

So, what happens to the drugs? No public burning ceremony? Why would the authorities capture drugs if they don't destroy them?

[anterian]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

One does wonder if it is the same drugs being produced at every bust.

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

At what point does one face execution for all these drugs...? These amounts are incredidible.

[ding]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Book 'em Dano

[meom]

If you get caught with over 15 pills of yaba or more than 1.5 gram of ice you're automatically considered to be a dealer and you're faced with the death penalty unless you manage to pay your way out of it before it goes to trial.

[miksguevara]

At what point does one face execution for all these drugs...? These amounts are incredidible.

the thing is mate if the bust is real I guess the accussed thought - oh well if we get caught were going to jail for 90 years or death penalty anyway so if we're going to deal drugs do it on a massive scale to make it worthwhile?

[moonbarman]

The amount of pills discovered in these busts sometimes astound me.

You don't think these busts are staged?

I think there is some degree of staging probably, yes. But I like to remain an optimist and think that there might be interest form some law officials in stemming the drug trade. I could well be naive in this respect.

I've seen a few fake busts in Thailand.

You should stop visiting those katoeys then,555.

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

At what point does one face execution for all these drugs...? These amounts are incredidible.

I meant incredible...