DRUG TRAFFICKING

Big drug haul nets four men and Bt300 million in yaba

The Nation

CHIANG RAI: -- Police arrested four men for allegedly possessing more than one million Yaba pills with a street value of about Bt300 million in Mae Chan district on Sunday, deputy prime minister Chalerm Yubamrung told a press conference Monday.

Presenting the four suspects - Chamnong Yeubao, 36, a former drug convict released in 2009, Sombat Srisongsom, 50, Nawasit Sitthichodok, 38, and Naratip Porchae, 33, alongside the 1.094 million pills - Chalerm said this drug bust was a joint operation of the Special Branch Police, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Provincial Police Region 5 and Chiang Rai Police.

They arrested Chamnong and Sombat in a pickup truck along with the drugs then went on to arrest Nawasit and Naratip at a garage in the same district, he added. They were charged with having Yaba in their possession with intent to sell.

Chiang Rai police chief Pol Col Wanchai Suwansirikhet said Nawasit the alleged gang leader, got the drugs from a neighbouring country and planned to store them at an animal farm before their distribution in Bangkok's Bang Na area and Nonthaburi.

-- The Nation 2012-10-01

Well done BiB, keep up the good work.

Meth pills seized in North, 500 million more destined for Thailand

BANGKOK, Oct 2 – Over one million methamphetamine pills were recently confiscated and five men arrested in Chiang Rai province in a swoop which Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung described as just a small amount of a total 500 million pills that were to be smuggled into Thailand via the northern border.

The latest seizure in Mae Chan district of Chiang Rai, 830 km north of Bangkok, netted an estimated 1.1 million meth pills, worth Bt328 million, destined for Bang-na in suburban Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom province.

Mr Chalerm quoted the gang leader, Chamnong Yerboh, as saying that he acted as a contact person in acquiring and delivering the pills. He reportedly said his group would be paid Bt3 for each pill. The deputy premier said Chamnong was recently released from prison.

According to the latest report, he said, 500 million meth pills are ready to be smuggled into Thailand across the northern border, especially in the Golden Triangle.

The authorities have coordinated with community leaders in the North to keep a close watch on the possible movement, he said. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-02

Sounds like the wild west, can't wait to meet all those cowboys LMFAO

Sad the majority of news reports the outside world gets of Chiang Rai are of this ilk. Life here really is so wonderful most of the time.

I have noticed a marked increase in police checks - not interested in motorcycles - only cars and pickups

I have noticed a marked increase in police checks - not interested in motorcycles - only cars and pickups

Yes, they were posted about every 5-10 km on the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai highway this past week. No checkpoints, but obviously looking for something.