Phuket Police Widen Search For Drug Kingpin, Firebomb Survivor

[webfact]

Phuket Police widen search for drug kingpin, firebomb survivor

Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Alleged drug kingpin and recent firebomb survivor Mongkol Benjaphan is the subject of a police manhunt in Phuket and Phang Nga, police have confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.

Officers from the Phuket Provincial Police Investigation Division, as well Thalang and Tah Chat Chai Police Stations in Phuket and Khok Kloy in Phang Nga, are all on the lookout for him, Thalang Police Investigation Inspector Pisit Chunpet told the Gazette.

Mr Mongkol, a 33-year-old with outstanding arrest warrants for drug offences, was the target of a bomb attack at his home in Thepkrasattri on March 29.

“Information gained from the police interview of Sanit Yotharak, a 33-year-old relative of Mongkol’s wife, indicate that Mr Mongkol suffered an injury to his left foot from the explosion,” he said.

“After the attack, Mr Mongkol’s wife Darin Sawangsup, called a man named ‘Mr Sanit’ to take him to hospital. However Mr Mongkol instead instructed Mr Sanit to take him and his wife to Baan Muang Mai in Thalang,” he revealed.

“A short time later, two vehicles, a black Honda Civic car and a black Toyota Vigo pickup, arrived and collected Mr Mongkol and Ms Darin. From there both vehicles drove off in the direction of Phang Nga. We still don’t know the name of the drivers or the license plate numbers of the cars,” said Lt Col Pisit.

“We presume that Mr Mongkol didn’t want to go to hospital because he has an arrest warrant against him issued by Phang Nga Provincial Court. He is wanted for possession and sale of ya bah (methamphetamine) and ya ice (crystal methamphetamine). He was also arrested in 2006 for similar offenses in Thalang,” he said.

Police admit they do not have a permanent address for Mr Mongkol, but believe he periodically visited the home in the Bo Din Villa residential estate where the firebombing took place.

Who actually owns the dwelling is unknown, however. The last person listed as the owner of the house registration form vacated in 2010, apparently abandoning it.

“Right now we suspect that he may be hiding somewhere in Phang Nga. We have questioned Ms Darin’s and Mr Mongkol’s relatives, but they are evasive with their answers, so we are now collecting more evidence and witness statements to further the investigation,” he said.

“We have notified Tah Chat Chai and Khok Kloy police that we are searching for this drug dealer as well,” he added.

“Concerning the bombing, we don’t know who the attackers are, but we presume they were involved with Mr Mongkol’s drug business. It might have been a revenge attack over lost drug revenue or territory.

“We will use witness statements and evidence to try and identify the bombers. In addition, the Phuket Provincial Police have order their investigators to help us work on both cases,” said Lt Col Pisit.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul will chair meetings from time to time to update the high-profile investigation, he added.

Lt Col Pisit declined a request by the Phuket Gazette for an image of Mr Mongkol to help publicize the case and possibly aid in his capture.

Source: http://www.facebook....118499681560616

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-04-05

[clockman]

The police are involved for sure, why else would they not publish his picture?

[espinoza]

"Officers from the Phuket Provincial Police Investigation Division, as well Thalang and Tah Chat Chai Police Stations in Phuket and Khok Kloy in Phang Nga, are all on the lookout for him, Thalang Police Investigation Inspector Pisit Chunpet told the Gazette."

Why not search the whole Thailand, or do the police not have computer systems to do so ?

[Soupdragon]

The police are involved for sure, why else would they not publish his picture?

They did in the previous press release. I can't reproduce it at the moment as the Phuket Gazette is still offline.