Thai Police aiming to intercept drug gangs' illicit earnings - Chalerm

[webfact]

Police aiming to intercept drug gangs' illicit earnings
NATTHAWAT LAPHING,
SAMRIT JEAMJAROENPORNKUL
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- DRUG-TRAFFICKING networks have smuggled tens of billions of baht out of Thailand, Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung revealed at a workshop in Chiang Rai yesterday, held with 200 bank representatives and officials to seek ways of suppressing cash smuggling and money laundering.

Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) deputy chief Sukhum Opasnipat said that compared with previous years, drug suppression operations in 2012-13 saw many suspects arrested and large amounts of narcotics seized thanks to the cooperation of law-enforcement agencies involved. But most arrests involved small-time dealers and smugglers rather than smashing key drug rings and their finances.

So, the workshop, hosted by the ONCB's Narcotics Control Strategy Bureau and Narcotics Law Enforcement Bureau, sought to find ways to crack down on key drug rings by intercepting money laundered through illegal drug operations.

Chalerm, also director of the National Command Centre for Drugs Elimination, said the focus of authorities would now be on hitting their funds by intercepting smuggled cash.

"In the past drug-trafficking networks have smuggled cash worth tens of billions of baht out of Thailand," he said.

Provincial Police Region 5 chief Pol Lt Suthep Detraksa said police had increased checkpoints on suspected drugs routes in Chiang Rai's Mae Fa Luang, Mae Chan and Mae Sai districts as well as in Chiang Mai. Checkpoints in Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Tak, Phrae and Lampang had also led to more arrests, he said.

However, he said investigators had also found that drug gangs were using trusted people to open bank accounts to launder money. The nominees would then withdraw up to Bt2 million in cash at a time via Mae Sai branches. The money would then be collected by couriers, who were hired to smuggle up to Bt500,000 per time across the Mae Sai border in northern Thailand. The money was then claimed for use in business investments, he said.

Meanwhile, Police Region 1 chief Nares Nanthachote and senior police boarded a helicopter and led Ayutthaya Police in a raid on Talad Wang Noi Community in Ayutthaya at 7am yesterday.

Eight police rappelled down ropes from one helicopter to raid a house belonging to Noi Reungjai, wife of inmate Ratchaphum Phanchimlek, who was caught dealing drugs from his prison cell in Khlong Phai Prison. However, no illicit drugs were found in the raid. The police team then went on to arrest three other drug suspects at another house in Wang Noi district.

Nares also led officials to raid a rented house in Bang Pa-in district where they found a total of 140,000 'yaba' pills. The raid stemmed from the previous arrest of four suspects who were caught in possession of 28,000 yaba pills, 940 grams of crystal meth-amphetamine, or "ice", and drug manufacturing equipment at a house in Bangkok's Tha Kham district.


-- The Nation 2013-09-16

[lujanit]

So I have been wrong all these years! I thought the Police already 'intercepted' the money flow. Last night we were watching a program on yaba (Stacey Dooley) in Thailand and the wife said that everyone knows the police and the army are on the take when it comes to yaba distribution in Thailand. They just catch a few low level runners for headlines in the news to make people think they are doing a kosher job.

[Mosha]

Police aiming to intercept drug gangs' the competition's illicit earnings

Fixed the headline

[CelticBhoy]

Are they going to bite the hand that feeds them then?

[arthurboy]

Forgive my cynicism, but this all looks somewhat prescient and stage managed to me.

[worgeordie]

is this the same route that corrupt Politicians and business men

use to get their ill gotten gains out of the country?, or do they

just fill suitcases and take them to Hong Kong or Singapore?

regards worgeordie

[clockman]

Friendly jet setting monks can help get your drug money out of the country! Its called rent a monk!

[ggold]

is this the same route that corrupt Politicians and business men

use to get their ill gotten gains out of the country?, or do they

just fill suitcases and take them to Hong Kong or Singapore?

regards worgeordie

Why do you think they got diplomatic visa waivers for Montenegro! To get around the money laundering issues and make America think it is not the hub for such activities.

[caykay]

Who would have thought the police are after money in Thailand?

[EyesWideOpen]

Wow.....So I guess the police are going to cut their own income. So does that mean more police checkpoints

to help make up for lost drug income ??

[klauskunkel]

Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung

Yeehaw!!! Chalerm is in the news again, I really missed him...he must have been laboring!

[cbluck58]

The police want to intercept the money - imagine that !!

[noitom]

These drug and money laundering reports are worthless until we read about bank manager busts. Banks have a responsibility to known your customer and we never ever read about a big management bust at a Thai bank. We also never ever read about a Thai Mr. Big getting busted for money laundering and drugs. The world knows how Bangkok was built.

The only bust of a big Thai guy was Rakesh Saxena, the Indian Thai who was extradited to Thailand from Canada and photographed in his wheelchair at Suvarnabhumi being escorted away by Thai police was a major bust. But until we see real Thai Mr. Banking and Corporate Bigs being busted, cuffed , charged, indicted, and jailed , no one in the world will ever take Thais seriously. Thailand will always be quietly referred to as a corrupted house of ill repute.

[belg]

why would the BIB go and arrest themselves?

under their perfect cover they act how they want, when they want and frame who they want

[marell]

Police aiming to intercept drug gangs' the competition's illicit earnings

Fixed the headline

Exactly. Those illicit earnings rightfully belong to the police.

[JeremyBowskill]

Is men jumping out of helicopters really the most covert way to raid a drug dealers wife? Think I would probably notice the sound of a helicopter overhead, anything she had (if she had anything) would have be flushed before they even got their ropes out. Although a top level dealer is never going to keep anything anywhere near them anyhow, probably nothing more than a photo shoot.

[HughJass]

Eight police rappelled down ropes from one helicopter to raid a house belonging to Noi Reungjai, wife of inmate Ratchaphum Phanchimlek,

why couldn't they just have gone thru the front and back doors?

[drdoom6996]

Forgive my cynicism, but this all looks somewhat prescient and stage managed to me.

You're right. Chalerm had not had a headline in a couple of weeks. Without the headlines they are not doing anything, even though they are not doing anything anyway.

[Mampara]

well that's a feather in the cap isn't it? and don't worry about the criticisms most of it are from people who actually support the drug flow.

[h90]

So I have been wrong all these years! I thought the Police already 'intercepted' the money flow. Last night we were watching a program on yaba (Stacey Dooley) in Thailand and the wife said that everyone knows the police and the army are on the take when it comes to yaba distribution in Thailand. They just catch a few low level runners for headlines in the news to make people think they are doing a kosher job.

busting the competitors increases the profit....

[Emdog]

Gee, ya think she would have heard the helicopters? Loosely translated, headline should read something like "Police step up efforts to get a bigger piece of the pie".

[hellodolly]

Forgive my cynicism, but this all looks somewhat prescient and stage managed to me.

You're right. Chalerm had not had a headline in a couple of weeks. Without the headlines they are not doing anything, even though they are not doing anything anyway.

Well if he is not doing any thing we can be sure that there is one less stupid thing being done by the Government.

[mayday49]

Eight police rappelled down ropes from one helicopter to raid a house belonging to Noi Reungjai, wife of inmate Ratchaphum Phanchimlek,

why couldn't they just have gone thru the front and back doors?

That technique is called Brown Rain ... if it stinks , well I think that you can understand what it really is ...!

[lostmebike]

Chalerm, also director of the National Command Centre for Drugs Elimination,

oh no!

"In the past drug-trafficking networks have smuggled cash worth tens of billions of baht out of Thailand," he said.

It should be staying in Thailand is what he meant to say.

Why doesn't he address the real problems with drugs with his 'police officers'? Oh forgot, silly me. That would see many of them in the monkey-house too!

More hot air and sh*t that will amount to nothing.

Edited September 16, 2013 by lostmebike

[Timwin]

Thailand GDP per capita is mere 5500 dollars (surprisingly Malaysia is at 10400 dollars). So there is a huge incentive to participate in drug dealing for working class Thais. In Mexico too both the cops and the army are very much deeply involved in drug trading. Hopefully Thais will not copy the idiotic, American supported worldwide war on drugs.

[Bagwan]

Eight police rappelled down ropes from one helicopter to raid a house belonging to Noi Reungjai, wife of inmate Ratchaphum Phanchimlek,

why couldn't they just have gone thru the front and back doors?

Chalerm needs the press coverage.

[Jogden]

Please study up on the Thai drug industry, as we all know it's run by the untouchables.. You will find some very interesting facts about America's involvement with the police and army here over the years. It's all available on www if you search enough. Even though America is in denial now it's worth looking for. Alfred C McCoy is one that comes to mind right now.

John.

[bigbamboo]

Chalerm, also director of the National Command Centre for Drugs Elimination,

oh no!

"In the past drug-trafficking networks have smuggled cash worth tens of billions of baht out of Thailand," he said.

It should be staying in Thailand is what he meant to say.

Why doesn't he address the real problems with drugs with his 'police officers'? Oh forgot, silly me. That would see many of them in the monkey-house too!

More hot air and sh*t that will amount to nothing.

Wouldn't it make more sense to appoint a full time director to the post instead of allocating it part time to the Labour Minister.... assuming you were serious about tackling the problem of course.