SONGKHLA: A suspected member of a major drug trafficking gang has been arrested and another 123kg of crystal methamphetamine worth over 100 million baht seized in this southern province on Friday following the seizure of 95kg of crystal meth in Satun.
Crime Suppression Division police and local narcotics suppression officers, led by CSD sub-division 6 superintendent Pol Col Sompong Suwannawong, rounded up workers’ living quarters of a rubber firm in tambon Samnak Kham of Sadao district late Friday evening following a tip-off that drug suspect Paisarn Thonthammachart was hiding there.
The officers managed to arrest Mr Paisarn, 29, during the operation. There was no clash during the raid.
Mr Paisarn was wanted on a court warrant issued by Satun provincial court on Feb 8 for involvement in drug trafficking in Satun.
The arrest followed the seizure of 95kg of crystal meth or "ice" in Khuan Kalong district of Satun on Feb 6. Police extended the investigation and found that Mr Paisarn was involved in the smuggling of the drugs in the province.
Officials said the suspect confessed to the drug smuggling charges and led the arresting team to a rented house on Pracha-uthit Road in Hat Yai district, where another 123kg of crystal meth was found in three travelling bags.
Mr Paisarn implicated a man, identified only as Wa or Baewa, behind the drug smuggling. He told police that Mr Baewa had hired him to smuggle over 200kg of crystal meth in six travelling bags from a hotel in Hat Yai to keep at the rented house in this district.
Another three bags containing 95kg of the drugs were earlier smuggled to a resort in Satun province for delivery but they were seized before reaching the customer, he said. He later fled into hiding in Sadao district, where he was caught.
If the drugs had been successfully delivered, he would have been paid 100,000 baht, said the suspect.
The arresting team handed over the suspect to Khuan Kalong police station to face charges of having illicit drugs in his possession with intent to sell. The investigation was being extended to bring those involved to justice.
Authorities believed the seized narcotics were destined for a third country.
