Thailand, Taiwan Cooperate To Bust Cold-Pill Ring

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Thailand, Taiwan cooperate to bust cold-pill ring

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Civilian special investigation units from Thailand and Taiwan have begun working together to combat drug dealing in the wake of the widespread abuse of pseudoephedrine.

Recent findings show that 850 million tablets have been smuggled or imported into Thailand from Taiwan in the past three years.

An initial scrutiny found 40 tonnes of the tablets had been smuggled under purchase orders for other goods, or through forgery of import documents, said a senior source within Thailand's Department of Special Investigation. The smuggling process had been supported by import-export and transport companies in South Korea, he added.

The DSI of Thailand recently joined with Taiwan's Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau in Taipei to tackle the pseudoephedrine issue. The abuse of the substance for the purpose of producing methamphetamine was first detected in Taiwan two years ago.

The joint efforts have been welcomed and are currently assisted by South Korean police, said DSI director-general Tharit Phengdit.

Meanwhile, searches at three Surat Thani prison facilities have turned up three mobile phones and some drug paraphernalia, while 34 inmates tested positive for drug use. The simultaneous raids were conducted yesterday at Surat Thani, Chaiya and Koh Samui prisons as part of the ongoing crackdown on in-prison drug dealings.

At the Surat Thani central prison, officials said 593 mobile phones were tossed over the prison walls last year, involving around 100 inmates or guards. Prison commander Sushin Damkraden said the walls were being heightened and nets set up to trap the handsets.

In Chon Buri, police intercepted a taxi carrying a pregnant passenger allegedly hired as a courier to deliver drugs to inmates at a local prison. The arrests of the driver and the woman led to the detention of a drug-dealing inmate and a guard at Bang Khwang maximum prison in Chon Buri.

Searching the home of warden Thongchai Phaibool, police alleged they found nine brand new mobile handsets believed for sale to inmates, and three pairs of shoes with holes prepared to hide amphetamine tablets.

The three other suspects are identified as taxi driver Aphichart Jaikitsuwan, Darunee Srisuwan and the seven-month-old pregnant woman identified merely as Tree.

-- The Nation 2012-05-11