Nearly 100 million narcotic pills stashed in Bangkok

by Usa Pichai
Tuesday, 08 September 2009 18:49

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Officials in Thailand suspect nearly 100 million narcotic pills are stashed around Bangkok for distribution and the number of drug smugglers and users would be around 100,000 even as the Bangkok police seized the biggest haul of ‘Ice’ drug.

Prayong Preeyajit, Director of the Office of Narcotics Control Board, Bangkok said at a press conference in Bangkok that officials think there are about 90,000 to 100,000 drug distributors and users in places such as many night entertainment spots and apartments. He also accepted that the authority’s prevalent system could not solve the problem.

Police Maj Gen Pongsan Jiamorn, Deputy Commander Bangkok Metro Police said that there are 100 million narcotic pills kept in personal accommodations such as apartments and condominiums in Bangkok. The officials have investigated 441 risk communities to arrest or send the users to rehabilitation centers.

“In addition, it is worrisome that availability of Ice (crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride) is widespread in Bangkok and most users are wealthy and difficult to access,” he said, according to a report in the Thailand National News Bureau website.

Drug users in Bangkok are mainly teenagers. Officials think the stashed drugs would be sent to three southernmost provinces of Thailand where there is violence by separatists. The drugs are produced in neighbouring countries, mainly in Burma’s northern border and Laos’ northeastern border.

On Monday Metropolitan Police Chief Worapong Chiwpreecha said at a press conference that Bangkok police arrested drug smugglers and seized four kilograms of Ice pills worth about 24 million baht [730,000 US$], which is reportedly the biggest haul in 10 years.

He named the suspects as Suthee "Neung Trokchan" Saeping (23), Sitthichai Chotethewachob (25), and Dechdamrong Wichien (24) caught with six kilograms of Ice. The police also seized two passenger cars, and two mobile phones.

On the basis of a tip off by an informer the police arrested Suthee on Sunday evening. They charged him with driving a car with two kilograms of Ice under the hood. The car was left by Sitthichai and Dechdamrong at the parking lot of the Big C Store's Hua Mark branch. Early next morning, police said they arrested Sitthichai and Dechdamrong from their rented house in Sammakorn Village in Saphansoong district after a search yielded another four kilograms of Ice.

More drugs were found in their house in Sapansoong area, totaling four kilograms. The men confessed that they made runs six times in eight months. They got 100,000-400,000 baht [3,000 – 12,000 US$] each time.

The Metropolitan Police Area 4 Deputy Chief Colonel Manthan Apiawong said the suspects had reportedly delivered a total of 400,000 Yaba tablets and some 40 kilograms of Ice. About 34 kilograms of Ice were distributed to customers.