ONCB, ONCB Secretary-General announces the results of the arrest of a major drug trafficking network to the South, seizing assets worth over 1.5 million baht and 1.9 million methamphetamine pills in Suphan Buri Province.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurat Lakboon, Secretary-General of the ONCB, along with Air Chief Marshal Niwat Poonsin, Commander of Don Mueang Air Force Base, Captain Banphot Nithinat-Aphasiri, Deputy Commander of the Naval Special Warfare Unit, Fleet Operations Command (NSWRC), and Mr. Prin Mekhanan, Director of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, ONCB, jointly announced the results of the operation to break up a drug trafficking network to the South, which came from the cooperation of the public who reported drug information via the ONCB hotline 1386, leading to the arrest of 2 suspects with 1,900,000 methamphetamine pills as evidence. The incident occurred in Suphan Buri Province before expanding the search to 4 locations, 3 locations in Bangkok and 1 location in Suphan Buri Province, seizing assets s
uch as cars, cash, and gold, totaling more than 1.5 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurat said that the ONCB, together with the Military Intelligence Unit (MIS), the Royal Thai Navy Narcotics Suppression Center, the Forward Control Division, the Royal Thai Navy Narcotics Suppression Center (NRSOC), and the Royal Thai Air Force Narcotics Suppression Center (RTAF) have been investigating and tracking the behavior of the suspects and the drug trafficking network to the South for a long time. From the investigation, it was found that the network used rented houses in the Central region (Suphan Buri and Nonthaburi provinces) as a place to store methamphetamine pills before delivering them to the network in the Central region to transport to the South, namely Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, according to the orders of the major orderer. Therefore, he ordered Mr. Prin Mekhanan, Director of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, to assign the Intree 19 task force to closely monitor the behavior of the network.
Until
yesterday (July 15), the Organic Task Force 19 officers who were tracking the cars of the people in the network found suspicious behavior that led to the suspected smuggling of drugs, so they followed them to show themselves and request a search. The search results of the search of the 2 suspects found that the passenger seats in the car had been removed to hide the drugs to deceive the officers, and that they would be placed at a rest stop as ordered by the commander. The officers took the suspects to inspect the location where the drugs were placed, and found 1,900,000 methamphetamine pills in 9 sacks (wrapped in another layer of black plastic bags). The methamphetamine pills found were prepared to be transported to Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. The officers then expanded the search to search 4 more locations (3 locations in Bangkok, 1 location in Suphan Buri Province) and seized assets such as cars, cash, and gold, with a total value of approximately 1.5 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurat said th
at according to the government’s policy, areas that are urgently needed for drug prevention, suppression and solving are designated. The ONCB has collaborated with local units, namely the Narcotics Suppression and Precursor and Chemical Suppression Command, Northern Border (Nb.Ys.35) and the Narcotics Suppression and Precursor and Chemical Suppression Command, Northeastern Border (Nb.Ys.24) to suppress drug smuggling in the northern and northeastern border areas. A large number of drugs were intercepted, but a significant amount was transported into the inner areas. This has caused Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, to be concerned and concerned about the public and to increase the intensity of suppression and management of drug trafficking groups that are causing the problem of methamphetamine spreading in the inner areas of the country. This will reduce the problem of methamphetamine spreading to the public.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat said that from the investigation, it was found that this network
will go down to the southern region. The Minister of Justice has ordered the ONCB to be the host to find a point to stop it from going to the south. There will be a meeting within the next week. Some drugs come from Shan State, both northern and southern. From the investigation, it was confirmed that these production sources are all under the protection of ethnic groups such as Wa, Hmong, Karen, etc. There are 27 groups in total. Therefore, international cooperation in criminal matters (MLAT) will be used to arrest these groups. However, an arrest warrant is being prepared for 1 ethnic commander.
From the arrest statistics, it was found that there were 1 million or more methamphetamine pills, in many cases, transported to the southern region. In 2023, there were 4 cases with a total of 6.6 million methamphetamine pills, while in 2024, there were 13 cases with a total of 39 million methamphetamine pills, which is an increase of almost 6 times. Therefore, I have expedited the order to prepare for discussions w
ith relevant agencies to set additional checkpoints/blockades to prevent drugs from entering the southern region.
Source: Thai News Agency