SURAT THANI: A former village chief in Kanchanadit district of this southern province was arrested for suspected drug dealing and assets worth about 100 million baht seized in two separate actions taken by authorities on Sunday morning.
Authorities acted on accusations from drug suspects that Worawut Ratanaphumthanakul, 45, a former phuyaiban (village chief) of Moo 8 village of tambon Tha Uthae in Kanchanadit district, was a major drug dealer.
Armed with a court warrant, Pol Maj Gen Apichart Boonsriroj, the Surat Thani police chief, took a team of police and soldiers from the 45th Military Circle to search a house on Surat Thani-Nakhon Si Thammarat road in tambon Kadae.
Mr Worawut was arrested on drug charges. A shotgun, a 9mm pistol, two BMW cars, a Harley Davidson motorcycle and the house itself were seized for further examination.
Another team of officials led by Surat Thani governor Wichawut Jinto searched a liquor shop owned by Mr Worawut in a three-storey commercial building on Chon Kasem road in the Surat Thani Municipality. The shop was also seized.
Mr Worawut's assets at the two locations were altogether estimated to be worth more than 100 million baht, and are suspected to have been acquired through the drug trade.
No drugs were found in the search of the two locations.
Mr Worawut was dismissed as village chief several for alleged involvement in the theft of a Buddha image several years ago. He changed his surname from "Sodrung" to "Ratanaphumthanakul" after the dismissal.
