Drugs smugglers finding smarter ways to beat the cops - but not on this occasion

[webfact]

Drugs smugglers finding smarter ways to beat the cops - but not on this occasion

 

Image: Sanook

 

NONG KHAI: -- Drugs smugglers are trying to find ever smarter ways to elude cops and their checkpoints but one gang came up short on Sunday.

 

They had got a whole bunch of innocent people in Nong Khai to travel on a tour bus down south. They were offered free food and free transport but they were just cover for the drug operation, reports Sanook.

 

Hidden behind the back seat was 40 kilos of methamphetamine or ice in two backpacks and a plastic bin bag.

 

A total of six men were arrested including the owner of the tour bus called Songsak, 41.

 

Ban Marp Amarit police manning a checkpoint in the Chumporn area had called over a Nissan pick-up truck driven by a man called Watyakorn, 22. Also in the vehicle was his father Sanya, 48. 

 

Police were suspicious and got their phones and saw a text saying they had seen a checkpoint.

 

The son broke down when questioned and said they were smuggling drugs in a tour bus that was coming up behind.

 

So the cops waited until 4pm when the bus came to the checkpoint. The owner and driver Kitti, 46, were arrested as well as two more accomplices Tulakarn, 24, and Wanuwat, 22, who were also on the vehicle.

 

And not just them - there were thirteen other children and adults who were travelling on a free trip to Hat Yai in the far south.

 

The drugs were found behind the back seat of the vehicle that was privately owned and not part of a regular service. The drugs were worth 160 million baht on the street.

 

The suspects did not appear at the press conference after directives that said that would impinge on their human rights but were pictured with their faces blacked out when the arrest took place.

 

Police said that drugs' gangs were coming up with newer and better ideas to try to fool the police. On this occasion the owner and his gang had been paid 500,000 by an agent in Nong Khai to transport the drugs down south.

 

Police learnt that the owner of the vehicle has another bus and had put down six million baht deposit for six more vehicles recently. They are preparing to seize those assets.

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-10-04

[HoboKay]

1 minute ago, webfact said:

The drugs were found behind the back seat of the vehicle that was privately owned and not part of a regular service.

 

That eliminated the competition real quick.

[ukrules]

I don't believe for one minute that it was a coincidence this vehicle was stopped and phones checked, etc which by pure luck led to the capture of the these people.

 

The whole thing sounds like a complete setup from start to finish.

[fruitman]

1-0 for the new policedogs! 

[worgeordie]

" impinge on their human rights ",something new for Thailand

regards worgeordie

[halloween]

Not that hard to imagine that our budding criminal mastermind was actually texting the warning as the cops pulled them over. Or that Plod is on to the cunning plan of a lead car passing warnings to following drug couriers.

I don't suppose the BIB bothered with "You have the right to remain silent........" before sonny spilled the whole plan.

[williamgeorgeallen]

smart police V4.0. wonder if they used those blue poles to probe the smugglers.

[rosst]

OK, well done Thai police, I am not sure how you did it but the result is there and the bad guys go down.  The stripping of assets is the most effective tool in the armoury, keep it up.

 

[whatproblem]

Not hard to outwit the police when people do u turns 10 meter before check points and the police carry on as if nothing happens

[Grubster]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

" impinge on their human rights ",something new for Thailand

regards worgeordie

I'm not sure its new for Hi-Sos

[Grubster]

5 hours ago, HoboKay said:

 

That eliminated the competition real quick.

That will teach em for cutting us out of the deal.

[trogers]

So, did the majority got to Hatyai? Or just the beach resorts of Chumphon?

[Mickmouse1]

Most stupid smuggling method...very naive and basic.???next 1 will be inside a dog's belly ????

[SOTIRIOS]

...how many got through meanwhile....???

[atyclb]

police use modified GT200 bomb detectors that can now detect drugs