Police crackdown on 3 drug networks in Northern Thailand, local politician on the run

In an effort to suppress drug trafficking during the Covid-19 pandemic, police are cracking down on 3 suspected networks in Northern Thailand, including one linked to a local politician who is now on the run. In the busts, police confiscated assets valued at a total of 30.5 million baht.

Police are still investigating drug cases linked to the head of a tambon administrative organisation in Tak, a province bordering Myanmar. The subdistrict chief, Wichit Arphonrungroj, is allegedly tied to drug cases dating back many years and a warrant is now out for his arrest.

In 2019, officers seized 1.5 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine a the Ban Huai Ra-u security checkpoint. Last December, police arrested a drug suspect and seized assets valued at 100 million baht. Earlier this month, another suspect was arrested and police seized 100 kilograms of methamphetamine and ketamine. The cases are linked to the local politician, police say.

In another bust in Phitsanulok, officers arrested a 20 year old man for allegedly selling illicit drugs through a Facebook page. Police say at least 20 million baht had been transferred to the man’s bank account and he did not have an explanation for the source of the money.

In the third crackdown, police seized assets valued at 2 million baht from a drug suspect in Sukhothai.