NAKHON PHANOM: Border patrol police seized about 200 kilogrammes of contraband marijuana from the Mekong river bank and arrested a man allegedly looking to pick it up, in Tha Uthen district late on Sunday night.
Pol Col Chalermchai Srithong, commander of Border Patrol Police Company 237, said a BPP team on patrol along the Mekong river found five sacks containing altogether 200 slabs of dried marijuana, each of 1kg, on the bank near Moo 7 village in tambon Chaiburi.
They also arrested Chirawut Sastrachai, 22, of Tha Uthen district.
Mr Chirawut was found waiting nearby after the marijuana was delivered by a long-tail boat to the Thai side of the river, he said.
The suspect allegedly confessed he was being paid 10,000 baht to move the marijuana further inside the country, taking the advantage of marijuana having been removed from the narcotics list.
In this case, he would be charged only with violating the Customs Act, the Plant Breeding Act and the Plant Quarantine Act, Pol Col Chalermchai said. He would be liable for a fine and/or a prison term up to 10 years
