Thai Police Search Warehouse, Find Traces Of Drugs Smuggled To Australia: Sydney Drug Bust

[webfact]

Warehouse searched, traces found of drugs smuggled to Australia

BANGKOK, Aug 3 - A Thai warehouse for terracotta pots was searched by police, claimed as a transit point for illicit drugs packaging for further smuggling to Australia.

National police chief Prewpan Dhamapong said Thursday evening that the Thai police were contacted by Australian authorities on Monday about drugs hidden in a shipment of two containers of Thai ceramics arriving at Sydney’s Port Botany.

Seven suspects were arrested there -- four from Hong Kong, and three Australian-Chinese.

More than 300kg – 306kg of crystal methamphetamine (ice), 252 kg of heroin and an unstated amount of marijuana were confiscated. The drug seizure was Australia's biggest lot of ice and its third largest haul of heroin.

The suspects implicated a Thai terracotta pot warehouse, where the drugs were packaged, in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district.

Two employees were apprehended, while another two men -- Ekkachai Wongsasee and Kasemsak Srimukda -- were named in the business registration as persons responsible for the warehouse. Both men are still at large.

Various forms of terracotta pots, many carton boxes, and two grinding machines were found. Forensic police believed the machines were for grinding and pressing cannabis sticks, as some dried marijuana remnants were on the floor.

The employees said they had worked there for a month and received a Bt10,000 salary. They said they were unaware that the warehouse may have been used for packaging illegal drugs.

According to the police investigators, empty terracotta pots were sent three times to Australia in order to test whether they could mislead authorities. The attempted smuggling took place in the fourth shipment when arrests were made.

Authorities are continuing the investigation in the belief that a larger drug smuggling ring is involved.

Meanwhile, according to police, a medium-sized cannabis grinding machine was found at another Lam Luk Ka warehouse, which police said was also used for drug smuggling. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-08-03

[clockman]

Just follow the money! Then you find out who is dirty!

[OZEMADE]

A medium sized cannabis grinding machine, nah it's a coffee grinder, a mincer, ahh tell them something.

[geriatrickid]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

[coma]

Hahahahaha. They found ONLY traces of drugs ONLY after they were informed by the AFP of the 1 tonne of drugs that THEY bagged. What ?Do they want a pat on the back after the fact. I think it is safe to say that the BIB definately missed the bus on this one.

[Renbe]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

[h90]

Just follow the money! Then you find out who is dirty!

And you end in the parliament....

[fasteddie]

A ''medium'' sized grinding machine? Thank god, only smoke large personally, Phew!

[Exsexyman]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

A good point. In America we even have the Government supplying weapons to the Mexican drug cartels, who have used them to kill American agents! See'Operation fast and furious' It always makes me chuckle when i see posters on here slagging off Thailand for this sort of thing, some of them probably American nationals, who cannot see the irony. But then Americans don't get irony!

[Moruya]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

Because Chalerm the Mighty promised

[webfact]

Terractta pots warehouse raided over drugs smuggling

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A Thai warehouse for terracotta pots was searched by police, which allegedly served as a transit point for illicit drugs packaging to be smuggled out to Australia.

National Police chief Priewpan Dhamapong said on Thursday evening that Thai police were contacted by Australian authorities on Monday about drugs hidden in a shipment of two containers of Thai ceramics arriving at Sydney's Port Botany.

Seven suspects were arrested there - four from Hong Kong, and three AustralianChinese.

About 306kg of crystal methamphetamine (ice), 252kg of heroin and an unstated amount of marijuana were confiscated. The drug seizure was Australia's biggest lot of ice and its thirdlargest haul of heroin.

The suspects implicated a Thai terracotta pot warehouse, where the drugs were packaged, in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district.

Two employees were apprehended, while two other men - Ekkachai Wongsasee and Kasemsak Srimukda - were named in the business registration as persons responsible for the warehouse. Both men are still at large.

Various forms of terracotta pots, many carton boxes, and two grinding machines were found. Forensic police believed the machines were for grinding and pressing cannabis sticks, as some dried marijuana remnants were on the floor.

The employees said they had worked there for a month and received Bt10,000 salary. They said they were unaware that the warehouse may have been used for packaging illegal drugs.

According to police investigators, empty terracotta pots were sent three times to Australia in order to test whether they could mislead authorities. The attempted smuggling took place in the fourth shipment when arrests were made.

Authorities are continuing the investigation in the belief that a larger drugsmuggling ring is involved.

Meanwhile, according to police, a mediumsized cannabis grinding machine was found at another Lam Luk Ka warehouse, which police said was also used for drug smuggling.

-- The Nation 2012-08-04

[sfbandung]

Drug hub, Health hub, Sex hub. Tourist hub. Hub hub hub.

I'm hubbed out.

[sfbandung]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

A good point. In America we even have the Government supplying weapons to the Mexican drug cartels, who have used them to kill American agents! See'Operation fast and furious' It always makes me chuckle when i see posters on here slagging off Thailand for this sort of thing, some of them probably American nationals, who cannot see the irony. But then Americans don't get irony!

If Australian drug addicts didn't want the drugs they wouldn't be sending them. There's no chicken and egg dilemma here.

Demand leads to supply.

[Nigel1500]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

Rubbish!

[Nigel1500]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

A good point. In America we even have the Government supplying weapons to the Mexican drug cartels, who have used them to kill American agents! See'Operation fast and furious' It always makes me chuckle when i see posters on here slagging off Thailand for this sort of thing, some of them probably American nationals, who cannot see the irony. But then Americans don't get irony!

... er ... Americans make the guns that they sell to the Mexicans to use against American Agents ... who also use American made guns. As long as the money is paid and the gun making jobs are preserved I don't think America really cares.

[Nigel1500]

If Australian drug addicts didn't want the drugs they wouldn't be sending them. There's no chicken and egg dilemma here.

Demand leads to supply.

To be specific, Australian welfare is paying for much of the drug abuse.

[cdnski12]

Thailand: Transit hub for illegal products and human smuggling to Australia.

How Australia restrains itself with Thailand is laudable. Other countries would have reacted with trade sanctions,and additional self defense measures when faced with years of such activities.

If the US, UK, Australia or any EU country is not able to stop the import, export or transit of illegal drugs, why do you expect Thailand to be the exception?

A good point. In America we even have the Government supplying weapons to the Mexican drug cartels, who have used them to kill American agents! See'Operation fast and furious' It always makes me chuckle when i see posters on here slagging off Thailand for this sort of thing, some of them probably American nationals, who cannot see the irony. But then Americans don't get irony!

Right on! This amount of Illegal drugs is the daily "TAKE" on many US Borders. Drugs are shipped by the semi trailer load from Mexico to USA. Most get thru. Pickup loads of Small Arms regularly traverse the US/Mexican border with virtually no Inspection. USA Arms most Mexican Cartels. Many US Border Gun Shops are owned by US AFT and CPB Personel. Check the size of US Border Security Agents. Many live in Multi Millionaire Communities. Supposedly they make a lot of money on "Investments"?