‘Rat catcher’ was a drug dealer, say police

After being caught with speed medications in Khon Kaen, think offered B500, 000 reward to authorities.

KHON KAEN: A drug trader posing as a land mouse catcher has been arrested along with his family with more than 300, 000 rate pills, according to police, who say they were offered a 500, 000- baht bribe to relieve the pair.

Jinda Thaochalee, 41, and his family Rungthip Sakunphon, 36, were apprehended in Ban Fang area of the northern county and 340, 000 rate pills seized, Pol Col Thanomsit Wongwijarn, the lieutenant municipal police captain, said on Saturday.

Local police in tambon Nong Bua pulled Mr. Jinda over after they discovered a man acting suspiciously inside a black pickup truck with Kalasin license plates behind the Wiwektham forest temple.

The man claimed he was going to catch farm rats, and he had found hunting gear in his car. However, the police officers noticed that he appeared terrified when he saw them.

When they asked to search the vehicle, they found 20, 000 speed pills hidden inside. The drugs were being delivered to another dealer, they said. The suspect was transported to the police station in Ban Fang.

Mr. Jinda acknowledged during questioning that his wife and he had more speed pills at the home he shared with them.

A police officer shows rat-catching tools taken from a suspect’s pickup truck in Khon Kaen after being caught with speed pills. ( Photo: Chakrapan Natanri )

The suspect was then taken to a house and found another 320, 000 pills there. Mr. Jinda attempted to bribe the arresting team, but they fabricated his offer. When he brought out 500, 000 baht in cash and gave it to the police, they immediately detained him and his wife, along with the pills, the bribe money and the pickup, said Pol Col Thanomsit.

According to investigators, Mr. Jinda purchased drugs from a trafficker in Laos in quantities of 400, 000 at once. He distributed the drugs by marking specific locations with rat-catching tools so that dealers would be able to pick them up.

He told police he had been hired for 200, 000 baht for each delivery and had made three deliveries.

The couple were taken into custody by the police for additional legal proceedings. Police are extending the investigation to find those responsible.