780 Kg Of Kratom Seized In Phuket; Three Arrested

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780 kg of kratom seized in Phuket; three arrested
Tanyaluk Sakoot



PHUKET: -- Three men were arrested when Thalang police seized more than three quarters of a ton of kratom leaves from trees in their gardens in Baan Pa Khlok in a series of raids.

Pol Lt Col Amnauy Kraiwutanan, Chief Superintendent of Thalang police station, told The Phuket News, “Our team had been gathering information for a while. Following the arrests we expect to find more growers and dealers.”

The raids, on Wednesday (February 20), began with Preecha Krajit, 19. Police found large kratom trees in his garden. They cut down the trees, collected the leaves, and weighed them. They totalled 150 kilograms.

They then raided the home of 44-year-old Uthit Krabithong and carried out the same procedure, bagging 330 kilograms of leaves.

Finally they visited the home of Chaleaw Yodpakdee, 51, and seized another 300 kilograms of the illegal leaves.

All three were charged with possession of drugs with intent to sell, and were locked up in Phuket Provincial prison to await trial.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/780-kg-of-kratom-seized-in-phuket-three-arrested-37325.php


-- Phuket News 2013-02-25

[bobl]

I have (had) no idea <deleted> a Kratom leaf does and/or why a tree indiginous to Thailand would be illegal. So, I look it up...

Apparently, follow the money.

It was criminalised 70 years ago because it was being used to treat opium addiction (and as a cheap substitute for opium), and opium (tax) was a major source of revenue. The NCB (Thai DEA) suggested that for this reason, and for reasons of having found absolutely no health or social harm despite it being widely available and used for decades, it be decriminalised. Apparently nobody got that memo.

Learn something new every day...

[chrisrazz]

The perps must have neglected to fill the brown envelope appropriately. 300kg of leaves in the garden must be hard to spot. "our team has been gathering information for a while". Now they have the drugs and probably a nice bail kitty too. Party time in Phuket.

[chooka]

Aren't these trees indiginous to Thailand? Banning them would be like banning the gum tree in Australia or the Maple tree in north America.

[MongersSyndicate]

Yes the trees are indigenous. Thailand is one of the only countries where Kratom is banned, because it becomes dangerous when you abuse it (destroys your liver and gives black spots on the skin). But in limited quantities it is fine. At least not worst than cannabis or tobacco.

It is legal in every Western country, you can order it online, it is part of the "legal high" herbs.

[sutton1001]

I always wondered the name of the tree. They all chew the stuff in trang.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[jbrain]

I doubt those trees grew that amount of leafs overnight, must have been growing there for many years.

[blackthorn2005]

The perps must have neglected to fill the brown envelope appropriately. 300kg of leaves in the garden must be hard to spot. "our team has been gathering information for a while". Now they have the drugs and probably a nice bail kitty too. Party time in Phuket.

Probably gather more leaves and tea money than information.

[jcnbkk]

Surprised I've never seen it here in Bangkok, where they sell all things from "home". Then again, it took me a long time to start noticing the yaa dong shops.

[rotorbreeze]

I have (had) no idea <deleted> a Kratom leaf does and/or why a tree indiginous to Thailand would be illegal. So, I look it up...

Apparently, follow the money.

It was criminalised 70 years ago because it was being used to treat opium addiction (and as a cheap substitute for opium), and opium (tax) was a major source of revenue. The NCB (Thai DEA) suggested that for this reason, and for reasons of having found absolutely no health or social harm despite it being widely available and used for decades, it be decriminalised. Apparently nobody got that memo.

Learn something new every day...

Here is the site: to view the leaf and other ways this substance is distributed:

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=kratom+leaves&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=kJY&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=kDssUcf0C4vSrQf9lICABA&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=994#imgrc=bubASDsv6z5_vM%3A%3B7jZp7ZtAr4KyGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F_OD63ndJtfPQ%252FS9EjoyiZePI%252FAAAAAAAAADE%252Fnw73INMK3bs%252Fs1600%252Fwhite-vein-kratom-flower-bikhuk-small.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.bikhuk.com%252F2010%252F04%252Findonesian-kratom-mitragyna-speciosa.html%3B350%3B263

[chooka]

I have (had) no idea <deleted> a Kratom leaf does and/or why a tree indiginous to Thailand would be illegal. So, I look it up...

Apparently, follow the money.

It was criminalised 70 years ago because it was being used to treat opium addiction (and as a cheap substitute for opium), and opium (tax) was a major source of revenue. The NCB (Thai DEA) suggested that for this reason, and for reasons of having found absolutely no health or social harm despite it being widely available and used for decades, it be decriminalised. Apparently nobody got that memo.

Learn something new every day...

Here is the site: to view the leaf and other ways this substance is distributed:

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=kratom+leaves&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=kJY&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=kDssUcf0C4vSrQf9lICABA&ved=0CFsQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=994#imgrc=bubASDsv6z5_vM%3A%3B7jZp7ZtAr4KyGM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F_OD63ndJtfPQ%252FS9EjoyiZePI%252FAAAAAAAAADE%252Fnw73INMK3bs%252Fs1600%252Fwhite-vein-kratom-flower-bikhuk-small.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.bikhuk.com%252F2010%252F04%252Findonesian-kratom-mitragyna-speciosa.html%3B350%3B263

Guess I better get out in the garden, we have one of these trees on our block and it was there from the start. Thought it was just another native tree. Oh well time to grab a few beers and get to work.

[HerbalEd]

I have (had) no idea <deleted> a Kratom leaf does and/or why a tree indiginous to Thailand would be illegal. So, I look it up...

Apparently, follow the money.

It was criminalised 70 years ago because it was being used to treat opium addiction (and as a cheap substitute for opium), and opium (tax) was a major source of revenue. The NCB (Thai DEA) suggested that for this reason, and for reasons of having found absolutely no health or social harm despite it being widely available and used for decades, it be decriminalised. Apparently nobody got that memo.

Learn something new every day...

Not used for decades, but for many centuries. What a shame it's now illegal.

[HerbalEd]

Aren't these trees indiginous to Thailand? Banning them would be like banning the gum tree in Australia or the Maple tree in north America.

Or the cannabis plant in India and Thailand .... which they've banned because of extortion from the US government ... i.e., if you want that billion-dollar agriculture loan then make cannabis (and magic mushrooms) illegal .... and this is a fact, not urban legend.

Edited February 26, 2013 by HerbalEd

[HerbalEd]

I doubt those trees grew that amount of leafs overnight, must have been growing there for many years.

Doesn't take years for a tree to fully grow leaves. You can strip off all leaves and the tree will grow them back within several months.

[Gerryasia]

Good for a mild painkiller. That's about all.

But from what I hear, the youngsters are combining it with cough syrup and other things to get mild high.

Human nature, I guess, and the price is right if you have a tree in your yard. '_'