BANKOK: Ten members of a northern drug-trafficking gang were arrested in Samut Sakhon and Chiang Mai provinces with authorities seizing 12kg of crystal methamphetamine.
Office of the Narcotics Control Board secretary-general Perm pong Chaowalit announced the arrest of the 10 suspects at a press conference at the ONCB headquarters.
The four Thai men and six Lisor tribal men were apprehended separately by a team of ONCB officers, anti-drug police and soldiers.
The first four drug suspects – Somkhid Buakham, 47, his son Khongsak Buakham, 24, Somkhid’s son-in-law Thanapol Saisunee, 26, and Arkhom Wongwilai, 42 – were arrested in Samut Sakhon province. They were caught at Wat Kate temple in Muang district while allegedly about to deliver 12kg of “ya ice,” worth about 12 million baht, to a client, said Mr Permpong.
The extended investigation led to the arrest of the six other Lisor tribal drug suspects at a hotel in Chiang Mai. Userpae Saemee, 42, Kotmapee Pornjirikul, 32, Sam Patchara-angkul, 23, Archue sae Chong, 19, a 34-year-old identified only as Arbee, and Arpu Nori, 20, allegedly were awaiting money from the sale when authorities raided their hotel rooms.
The ONCB chief alleged the suspects were members of a major-drug trafficking gang in the North. The gang has connections in several areas, including Bangkok, surrounding provinces and the South, authorities said.
Mr Permpong expressed concern over the spread of illicit drugs among teenagers. He said the investigation found that the seized crystal methamphetamines would be sold to teens and youths as a main target group.
Drug traffickers often hire tribal members to smuggle illicit drugs from border areas into the three northern provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son before the drugs are delivered to other network members, police said.
