Last Sunday, more than half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine was seized in a joint operation by police, military, and local administrative officials, arresting two suspects in the Rattaphum district of this southern province.
The anti-drug brigade raided a motorcycle repair shop in Tambon Tha Chamuang of Rattaphum district and arrested Polawat Detkub, alias Bang Mad, 43, and his girlfriend Waranya Ritthidet, 28.
Members of the anti-drug team found 377 kilograms of crystal meth, also known as ‘Ice’ in the workshop, 110 kg of which were neatly packed in electric fryers, 1 kg in each pan and another 267 kg waiting to be packed. .
As additional evidence, the brigade also seized a shotgun with ammunition, six mobile phones with SIM cards and an Isuzu pickup truck registered in Surat Thani.
Polawat told the arresting officers that he had been ordered by a man named Apisit Rongdet, aka Man, to put the crystal meth in the electric fryers and ship it to another man named Abdolmad Mankakhet
The deep-fat fryers with the crystal meth would be shipped out of the country.
The information from the Khun Polawat led to a search of Moo 4 in Tambon Khao Phra, Rattaphum district. The officers there found 208 kg of crystal meth – 108 kg in electric fryers and another 100 kg that still has to be in jars.
The total amount of crystal meth found at the two sites was 585 kg, with an estimated street value of 117 million baht locally and 500 million baht abroad.
Lieutenant General Kriangkrai Srirak, the commander of the 4th Army and director of Region 4 Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC), said the drugs belonged to a network belonging to Cholli Khunsetkua, aka Bang Lee, who is still at large. He was based in Rattaphum district and was wanted under many arrest warrants.
Details of the operation were released Monday at the Region 4 Border Patrol Police headquarters in Songkhla’s Muang district. Also in attendance were Lieutenant General Nath Singudom, the commander of the Border Police, and Jessada Jitrat, the governor of Songkhla.
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