PUBLISHED : 2 Oct 2024 at 17:39
Three alleged members of a large drug network have been arrested at a resort in Bangkok and methamphetamine pills and crystal methamphetamine with a combined worth of over 100 million baht seized.
Pol Lt Gen Samran Nuanma, assistant national police chief, and senior police announced the drug bust and the arrests at the Metropolitan Police Bureau office on Wednesday.
The trio were named as Nonthawat, 29 and Watcharin, 46, both from Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Sutthipong, 31, of Roi Et. They were arrested when police raided two rooms at a resort in Tha Raeng area of Bang Khen district, Bangkok. Their full names were not given.
Police allege they were in possession of 5.9 million meth pills and 190 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine. Also seized were a van, a car and a pickup truck. The seized drugs were worth over 100 million baht, according to police.
The arrests came after police investigators learned that a major drug gang would move a large shipment to a location in Bangkok for later delivery to its distributors, Pol Maj Gen Samrarn said.
They spotted three suspect vehicles arriving at a resort in Bang Khen about 9.30pm on Sept 29. Three men checked into a pool villa and an ordinary room. The arresting team kept a close watch on them overnight, before raiding the rooms at dawn.
The officers found the suspects packing illicit drugs into cardboard boxes. One of them, identified later as Sutthipong, tried to escape through a high window by climbing up on the handbasin but it broke and he fell down, injuring his leg. He was detained and taken to Police General Hospital.
All three suspects were held on charges of having illicit drugs in their possession with intent to sell. The investigation was continuing, police said