Mules busted using public transport to smuggle drugs into Phuket

Saroj Kueprasertkij

Yongyut Ratanapan, 25, was found carrying 22.25 grams of crystal methamphetamine on a bus arriving from Trang province. Photo: Tha Chatchai Police

PHUKET: -- Following the anti-drug blitz by Kathu police over the weekend, Tah Chatchai police arrested three people attempting to bring drugs onto the island by public transport yesterday (Sept 13).

The Kathu police arrested 10 drug suspects, including a Frenchman, and seized a variety of drugs in a blitz that began on Friday. (See story here.)

Meanwhile, Col Somchai Sanprasert of the Tha Chatchai Police led his team of officers in conducting random checks of Phuket inbound vehicles at the Tah Chatchai checkpoint at the northern tip of the island.

The checks results in three arrests. Yongyut Ratanapan, 25, was found carrying 22.25 grams of crystal methamphetamine on a bus arriving from Trang province.

“While we were carrying out our check on the bus, we saw that he was acting very nervously, so we searched him and found the drugs hidden in his left pants pocket,” Col Somchai said.

Soon after, police arrested two men – Anan Triphoka, 20, and Yuthana Sarnmas, 22 – arriving in a van from Nakorn Sri Thammarat. They were found to be carrying about one kilogram of kratom leaves.

Col Somchai urged motorists to be patient when police were carrying out random searches at the checkpoint.

“Thachatchai Police would like to ask for cooperation from all passengers arriving in Phuket via the checkpoint,” he said.

“We are trying our best to do our job. Drug dealers use every possible way to smuggle drugs into the province. We have to do our best to stop it.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/mules-busted-using-public-transport-to-smuggle-drugs-into-phuket-54103.php


-- Phuket News 2015-09-14

Loved the photo, reminded me so much of Benny Hill

I thought the news was a donkey taking a bus to phuket. dang.

Kratom leaves?Hardly the worlds largest drugs bust.