Bt100 million assets seized after raids on drug networks

[Lite Beer]

Bt100 million assets seized after raids on drug networks
THE SUNDAY NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and the Department of Special Investigation have carried out joint raids at 48 locations in 10 provinces in a case involving 32 suspects allegedly involved in four drug networks - with nearly Bt100 million in assets seized, ONCB secretary-general Permpong Chaowalit told a press conference yesterday.

The operation, which began on Friday and concludes today, aims to cut the finances of the networks and has involved raids at Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Prachin Buri, Chanthaburi, Trat, Surin, Buri Ram, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

The first drug network was allegedly led by Kringkrai Dokmai, who was arrested on March 29 and whose assets, including a Bt12.5 million 42-room apartment in Chiang Mai, were confiscated on Friday, Permpong said.

The second network, allegedly led by Orawan Hensawang, bought illicit drugs from the North for distribution in the East and Northeast, he said, adding that police had seized assets worth Bt6 million in Buri Ram yesterday.

The third network was allegedly led by Charoon Panthog, who had Bt11 million in assets seized in Samut Sakhon.

Permpong said the fourth network was allegedly led by Lawan Jamreung, who had Bt60 million in assets seized in Rayong yesterday.

The agencies would raid a fifth drug network today, he said.

Meanwhile, in Chiang Rai's Muang district yesterday, police arrested Hmong drug suspect Ratchapon Chinnuthit, 30.

Police seized Ratchapon's three cars, large amounts of US dollars, gold and silver bars, gold ornaments, two guns and other valuables worth nearly Bt100 million.

Ratchapon's arrest stemmed from the arrest of seven drug suspects in Rayong and the seizure of 88,000 yaba pills in November 2012.

Ratchapol is accused of wiring drug money to Chiang Rai businessman Sompan Liewcharoen, who had Bt150 million worth of assets seized on June 4.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Bt100-million-assets-seized-after-raids-on-drug-ne-30262279.html

-- The Nation 2015-06-14

[retell]

Well done

[nev]

Great news, bang em up in jail for life.

[ezzra]

The hopelessness and disheveled look in the couple's eyes is priceless....

[berybert]

The hopelessness and disheveled look in the couple's eyes is priceless....

Yeah, they must be thinking " we paid for that gear, and now the cops are gonna sell it"

[halloween]

A "42 room apartment"?

[ratcatcher]

A "42 room apartment"?

A 42 room apartment building?

[sabaii69]

The hopelessness and disheveled look in the couple's eyes is priceless....

Yeah, they must be thinking " we paid for that gear, and now the cops are gonna sell it"

The cops should sell it and use the cars seized. Wouldn't mind getting a ticket from a Bentley

[mogo51]

A "42 room apartment"?

A 42 room apartment building?

He had a lot of friends.

[wotsdermatter]

At last, something is being done that the police neglected to do but could have done. Keep up this sort of work and get rid of those responsible for causing so much grieve. Let them rot in jail.

[wvavin]

Just hope that those assets seized will not go into the pockets of the government officials.

[little mary sunshine]

Good Job....Assets should be used th help poor students get an education !!

[gemguy]

Hmmmm...all those drug dealers must be really pissed off.....I mean, after all the protection money they paid to other officers and it was all meaningless..

Ha, ha, ha....Suckers

Cheers

[gemguy]

Just hope that those assets seized will not go into the pockets of the government officials.

Some for sure.......

They are negotiating ( arguing and fighting ) over the percentages as we speak.

Edited June 14, 2015 by gemguy

[hutchings1963]

What a joke this is in this village where i live in Phan the women dealer gets the drugs off the police then sells them then she informs the police then they are picked up, this is the LOS and she pockets the money what a joke.

[phycokiller]

the usual kneejerk idiot replies, no wonder you all left your home countries where drugs are now being legalized and drug use is dropping because of it

[gemguy]

the usual kneejerk idiot replies, no wonder you all left your home countries where drugs are now being legalized and drug use is dropping because of it

"Marijuana" has been legalized in some states in the USA and or decriminalized in most states for the end users of the marijuana.

Unlicensed suppliers and or illegal suppliers ( traffickers ) are still considered fair game for the law enforcement officers and so are smugglers of marijuana from out side sources of marijuana obtained from illegal sources such as Mexico and Canada...etc.

The other recreational purpose drugs...such as ...Cocaine and Heroin and Crack Cocaine and Crystal Meth and other various forms of methamphetamines are still deemed illegal to consume or manufacture or supply.

It will be a long time before those other recreational drugs known as "hard drugs" will be legalized for consumption.....but hopefully the use of the recreational drugs will be decriminalized and dealt with in a more sensible social manner rather than subjecting the users to harsh law enforcement practices while law enforcement focuses on the illegal manufacture and supply of those deemed to be hard and addictive drugs and well known to be far more problematic recreational drugs...including Yaa Baa ( methamphetamines ) ...here in Thailand.

You would not want most of the classified to be harder recreational drugs readily accessible to the public at large because of their highly addictive qualities and the detrimental social ramifications of wide spread addictive drug use...if they were to be made legal and easily accessible to the public.

Marijauna???....... Well, even the government officials have come to realize that marijuana is the least harmful or least detrimental of any of the recreational substances out there taken for pleasure purposes and or social purposes.....but it is hard to change nearly one hundred years of mistaken government based drug enforcement policies and peoples thinking and their beliefs.

Slowly the change will come about.

Cheers

Edited June 14, 2015 by gemguy

[Pinot]

I'm glad to see they're not just busting street dealers. When they bust someone they should always be following the drugs up the supply chain. In Phuket, it's a major drug bust when they find a couple of joints and some Kratom leaves. That's a waste of law enforcement time.

[Colabamumbai]

No mention of drugs seized in these raids.

[northernphil]

A "42 room apartment"?

Just what I was thinking ! what next a 50 room Penthouse suite.

[nev]

No mention of drugs seized in these raids.

No it is the assets of the big bosses which is all the better than catching the dealers low downdown in the chain.

The big wigs used to be untouchable but it looks like things are changing and paying bribes is not working no more.

[northernphil]

The geezer in the blue vest is not pointing . 'cos he's cuffed . What's the point of a pic if they can't point , d'yer get my point or is this a pointless exersise ?

OK I'm going now point taken.

[seancbk]

the usual kneejerk idiot replies, no wonder you all left your home countries where drugs are now being legalized and drug use is dropping because of it

"Marijuana" has been legalized in some states in the USA and or decriminalized in most states for the end users of the marijuana.

Unlicensed suppliers and or illegal suppliers ( traffickers ) are still considered fair game for the law enforcement officers and so are smugglers of marijuana from out side sources of marijuana obtained from illegal sources such as Mexico and Canada...etc.

The other recreational purpose drugs...such as ...Cocaine and Heroin and Crack Cocaine and Crystal Meth and other various forms of methamphetamines are still deemed illegal to consume or manufacture or supply.

It will be a long time before those other recreational drugs known as "hard drugs" will be legalized for consumption.....but hopefully the use of the recreational drugs will be decriminalized and dealt with in a more sensible social manner rather than subjecting the users to harsh law enforcement practices while law enforcement focuses on the illegal manufacture and supply of those deemed to be hard and addictive drugs and well known to be far more problematic recreational drugs...including Yaa Baa ( methamphetamines ) ...here in Thailand.

You would not want most of the classified to be harder recreational drugs readily accessible to the public at large because of their highly addictive qualities and the detrimental social ramifications of wide spread addictive drug use...if they were to be made legal and easily accessible to the public.

Marijauna???....... Well, even the government officials have come to realize that marijuana is the least harmful or least detrimental of any of the recreational substances out there taken for pleasure purposes and or social purposes.....but it is hard to change nearly one hundred years of mistaken government based drug enforcement policies and peoples thinking and their beliefs.

Slowly the change will come about.

Cheers

Portugal is the first country that has decriminalized the use of all drugs, to positive results.^[13] Anyone caught with any type of drug in Portugal, if it is for personal consumption, will not be imprisoned. Spain and Italy have since followed Portugal's example.

Portugal decriminalized them 14 years ago I believe and the results were very good.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_liberalization

Unfortunately I can't see it happening here. Thailand treats you as guilty even if you consumed the drugs in another country, because they insist on using drug tests to decide guilt, not actual possession.

[halloween]

(snip)

Unfortunately I can't see it happening here. Thailand treats you as guilty even if you consumed the drugs in another country, because they insist on using drug tests to decide guilt, not actual possession.

Ummm......... Thailand uses simple possession as proof of ownership. If it's in your house, it's yours, no arguments, no fingerprints or drug test required. If an undercover cop offers you a baggie, and you take it in your hand to look at it, you are gone, done and dusted. No money needs to change hands, or a lot more than you thought if you want to walk.

I know of a case where 9 people (no previous association) paying for a ride in a pickup were given 12 years each for possession of a bag in the vehicle. I don't know who owned the bag, could have been any one or none of them. The only occupant that didn't front the judge was the driver. Presumably he had enough readies to pay off the BIB.

[Dante99]

100 million Baht is peanuts in the drug trade

[coulson]

100 million Baht is peanuts in the drug trade

Maybe so, but a nice start if you also include liquid assets which could equal many times that amount.

I am glad to see a story like this for a change, going after the big fish, and the rest can keep their skates on because: ''The agencies would raid a fifth drug network today, he said.''

[gemguy]

the usual kneejerk idiot replies, no wonder you all left your home countries where drugs are now being legalized and drug use is dropping because of it

"Marijuana" has been legalized in some states in the USA and or decriminalized in most states for the end users of the marijuana.

Unlicensed suppliers and or illegal suppliers ( traffickers ) are still considered fair game for the law enforcement officers and so are smugglers of marijuana from out side sources of marijuana obtained from illegal sources such as Mexico and Canada...etc.

The other recreational purpose drugs...such as ...Cocaine and Heroin and Crack Cocaine and Crystal Meth and other various forms of methamphetamines are still deemed illegal to consume or manufacture or supply.

It will be a long time before those other recreational drugs known as "hard drugs" will be legalized for consumption.....but hopefully the use of the recreational drugs will be decriminalized and dealt with in a more sensible social manner rather than subjecting the users to harsh law enforcement practices while law enforcement focuses on the illegal manufacture and supply of those deemed to be hard and addictive drugs and well known to be far more problematic recreational drugs...including Yaa Baa ( methamphetamines ) ...here in Thailand.

You would not want most of the classified to be harder recreational drugs readily accessible to the public at large because of their highly addictive qualities and the detrimental social ramifications of wide spread addictive drug use...if they were to be made legal and easily accessible to the public.

Marijauna???....... Well, even the government officials have come to realize that marijuana is the least harmful or least detrimental of any of the recreational substances out there taken for pleasure purposes and or social purposes.....but it is hard to change nearly one hundred years of mistaken government based drug enforcement policies and peoples thinking and their beliefs.

Slowly the change will come about.

Cheers

Portugal is the first country that has decriminalized the use of all drugs, to positive results.^[13] Anyone caught with any type of drug in Portugal, if it is for personal consumption, will not be imprisoned. Spain and Italy have since followed Portugal's example.

Portugal decriminalized them 14 years ago I believe and the results were very good.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_liberalization

Unfortunately I can't see it happening here. Thailand treats you as guilty even if you consumed the drugs in another country, because they insist on using drug tests to decide guilt, not actual possession.

Lets hope it becomes an international trend.

I have the feeling there would be social ramifications in the USA that no one can accurately predict if all the recreational drugs were to be legalized for public consumption.

More than likely there would be an increase in the use of all those available recreational drugs and all the more addiction and the associated social problems.

The nation will never know until they try but meantime the way it is now is bad enough that some things need to change while the first thing has to be the mentality of people concerning the use of hard drugs and how to handle drug addiction problems....amongst numerous other social problems caused by drug addiction.

Cheers

[TPI]

Hmmmm...all those drug dealers must be really pissed off.....I mean, after all the protection money they paid to other officers and it was all meaningless..

Ha, ha, ha....Suckers

Cheers

The mobile phones must be running hot!!

[Trouble]

It always surprises me that assets are confiscated prior to conviction in court since in theory they are innocent until proven guilty. Of course I think these people are incredibly stupid for not hiding the stuff better but they just seem to keep the stuff in their houses and apartments, etc. I suppose the good side of the police confiscating the stuff prior to trial and in conjunction with arrest is that the arrested don't have any assets to bribe the police or judges.

[Anthony5]

It always surprises me that assets are confiscated prior to conviction in court since in theory they are innocent until proven guilty. Of course I think these people are incredibly stupid for not hiding the stuff better but they just seem to keep the stuff in their houses and apartments, etc. I suppose the good side of the police confiscating the stuff prior to trial and in conjunction with arrest is that the arrested don't have any assets to bribe the police or judges.

I'm sure they mean something like conservatory seizure, instead of confiscation, until the trial is finished.