Alleged Shan drug suspect killed in gunfight with police

The Nation



CHIANG RAI: -- A Shan man was killed in a gunfight with police and 190,000 yaba pills seized in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district on Monday morning.

Following the clash near Highway 123 in Tambon Wiang Pang Kham, Pol Colonel Manop Senakul, chief Chiang Rai investigator, said that, following a tip-off about a drug delivery, police presented themselves to search the unnamed man in his 30s.

The man then opened fire at police with his shotgun but missed, he said. Police shot back and hit him in the chest. A search of his bag yielded the drugs, he added.

The haul was suspected to be part of the shipment smuggled in by a caravan that clashed with border police in the province on Saturday night, when six drug suspects were killed and 840,000 yaba pills were found.

Pol Maj General Panudech Boonreung, commander of Narcotics Suppression Police 3, said yesterday that Surin Saeju, 30, and Mana Saeyang, 28, were arrested on Friday with 440,000 yaba pills in Chiang Mai Mae Rim district while they were transporting the drugs to the Central region.

Surin, who drove the lookout car, reportedly hired Mana for Bt50,000 to transport the drugs.

Police said yesterday that in Rayong's Muang district, two men and one woman were nabbed with 54,000 yaba pills, 69.24 grams of crystal meth and a 9mm pistol on Sunday. Police also confiscated two cars and nine ATM cards belonging to one of the suspects.

In Bangkok, Don Muang Police arrested two men on suspicion of heaving an M26 grenade at another man's house on March 2 to collect a Bt40,000 debt for a yaba purchase.

Pol Maj General Suranit Phrombutr, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, said Seksan Rakdaen, 37, and Sombat Changnoi, 36, were charged with attempted murder. The men were arrested in the Don Muang area on Sunday along with an AK-47 rifle plus 74 rounds of ammunition and 48 9mm bullets.

Seksan, a former drug convict, was arrested along with 300 yaba pills in the Bang Chan area and was still fighting the case, while Sombat was arrested for carrying a gun in the Choke Chai area.


-- The Nation 2014-03-11

840 000, 190 000, 440 000...this rise in figures is frightening. Like someone opened a gate. How many Thais consume YaBa on a regular basis? Must be millions...