Bangkok police arrest 3 Taiwanese and a Thai man for possessing 200kg of heroin

[webfact]

DRUGS TRAFFICKING
Heroin dealers arrested at Bang Na hotel
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- A Thai man and three Taiwanese nationals were arrested on Thursday for allegedly possessing about 200 kilograms of heroin and trying to smuggle it out of the country.

Police arrested Supadet Booncharoen, 40, in the parking lot of the Maple Hotel on Srinakharin Wirote Road in Bang Na district at 9.30am after finding 426 kilograms of heroin packed in six suitcases in a car allegedly belonging to Supadet.

The confiscated narcotics would fetch an estimated Bt426 million on the street.

Police moved in after receiving a tip that Supadet was smuggling drugs from the northern region to Bangkok. The suspect allegedly made an appointment with the Taiwanese at the hotel, where he checked in and left his car in the parking lot.

The Taiwanese were scheduled to fly back to Taiwan at 11am, police said.


-- The Nation 2013-08-08

[Redhawk]

Well the ticket he can return now, if ever he will fly again apart to the nirvana. But why does the headline tells about 200 kg and the article reads already 426 kg straight?! Someone there wants to double the success and honors? We can be sure when 200 kg getting confiscated the double has left the country already. Even if 4 of 5 smugglers getting caught the still get a win!

[amrishtony]

200 as evidence and 226 for testing purposes to be divided among various individuals or agencies

[Chonburiram]

Taiwanese scheduled to leave at 11 am at airport, busted in a 200 or 426 kg Heroin deal in Bang Na at 9:30 am?

I knew junkies who needed more time to get their next shot.

[lowushatin]

well written article, nation. well dun!

[laurentbkk]

Well done ......

[harrycallahan]

Bayer used to sell it as a pain killer.

[NamKangMan]

What's connecting the heroin in the car park to the Taiwanese men in the hotel room????

[Bluespunk]

I think the reporter mixed up the alleged street value and quantity of heroin found. 200kg seems like a lot. How much space would that fill? Looking at the picture that seems a substantial amount of H.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Bluespunk

[happysanook]

Gotta love Thailand. I would be surprised there's any real evidence against the Taiwanese. Now they will die. How did they plan to get 200kg back? Body pack it?

[jmccarty]

US$33/gram. Is that all it costs on the street?

[grantbkk]

200 kilos is just a bit more than 426 in pounds. I think the 200 would fit in 5 suitcases but not 426.

Anyway, it's a lot of dope. Hopefully a non-student could write up a follow up piece.

[hgma]

Hmong Gang?

or duped in transport only?

Very disturbing development, Hill tribe people used as or tricked in Drug trade.

[hgma]

Hmong Gang?

or duped in transport only?

Very disturbing development, Hill tribe people used as or tricked in Drug trade.

OOPS....Mistook The 4.2 million Ya baa transporters in another bust today...Hmong men involved again!!

Apologies.

[OzMick]

So 3 Taiwanese are planning to grab their 6 suitcases of H, no testing or weighing, rush to the airport to make check-in time, then waltz through both Thai and Taiwanese customs hoping nobody will notice. A cunning plan worthy of Baldrick.

[MegaRanter]

Lots of smack

[Para]

I think the reporter mixed up the alleged street value and quantity of heroin found. 200kg seems like a lot. How much space would that fill? Looking at the picture that seems a substantial amount of H.

+1

Then consider if they were going to fly it back how much luggage they would have!

[kimincm]

So 3 Taiwanese are planning to grab their 6 suitcases of H, no testing or weighing, rush to the airport to make check-in time, then waltz through both Thai and Taiwanese customs hoping nobody will notice. A cunning plan worthy of Baldrick.

Yes strange,I wonder what their overweight luggage fee was going to be.

[NRGF]

Bayer used to sell it as a pain killer.

And it worked too!!!

[stevehaigh]

i guess i don't know much about drugs but aren't people usually trying to get drugs into Thailand? where is it made? i guess it came from buma or cambodia then.

[Traveller45]

...looks delicious, somehow, like caramel or candy bar. And so neatly packed and stacked. 200 kgs in 6 suitcases, that s like 35 kgs per suitcase, right? Pretty heavy, too. What does the Law say? Mandatory Death penalty, that one?

[MobileContent]

Great work from the BIB. Congrats to the Thai police. Job well done !!

[stoli]

Wow, no one noticed that the amount found was 426 kilo's, but that the 200 kilo's was worth 426 million baht. That is where the error was. 200 kilos period, worth 426 million baht.

[Andre0720]

Canadian Alain Olivier was framed in a 2 kg bust in BKK, he alleges he was cornered into buying $10,000 worth of heroin in Bangkok in 1989.

Spent 8 years in a Thai jail.

These guys will have to explain how between 200 and 426 kilos (Thai style of estimations) of H was only for personal consumption...

[technologybytes]

I'm sure there will be lots of celebration over this bust, however it will not stop the trade in these drugs.

The people who are arrested will be the lowest levels of the drug dealing hierarchy, simply couriers who earn the least and stand to loose the most.

So now 4 people will spend a very long time in prison, perhaps the rest of their lives. Really, that's no victory and it makes me very sad.

[ozyjon]

What's the luggage weight limit on a flight,, how would you get so many bags on a Nok Air flight i wonder,,, Sir you are over the weight limit, you have to reduce the weight of the bag 426 Kg is too much,,, what about 200 Kg,, OK that's ok you can go,,,. only in LOS (shame)

[Jingo]

Will they be executed?

I know in Singapore if you get caught with even 15 grams of Heroine that's an executable offense.

And in their home country of Taiwan it's also executable to do this and Thailand does have the death penalty as a possibility for drug trafficking....

[KuhnPaen]

Bayer used to sell it as a pain killer.

It was more of a cure for morphine addiction after the American Civil War....little did they know.

[yougivemebaby]

Will they be executed?

I know in Singapore if you get caught with even 15 grams of Heroine that's an executable offense.

And in their home country of Taiwan it's also executable to do this and Thailand does have the death penalty as a possibility for drug trafficking....

It seems like hearing about actual people being executed is either brushed under the carpet or all bark and no bite.

As said earlier, aren't people normally trying to import the stuff? I guess if they were bringing it home the value would increase substantially. The harder the punishment the more the value increases.

Happy to see these narcotics off the street though.

[cobra1]

oh come on guys give the poor guys a break,they all checked in the hotel 4 a knees up and while the thai mans pick up was parked up in the hotel carpark the police put the suit cases in the back every1 knows they do that ,they all checked in with rucksacks THEIR INNOCENT the police had to do something as they just hanging around bkk waiting 4 some peoples part trouble to kick off