Crime
Two transnational drug smuggling gangs busted

Police have cracked down on two transnational drug trafficking gangs who both smuggle and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine as well as other drugs in and out of Thailand.
11 members of the gang “Black Sashimi” were arrested for drugs trafficked from Thailand to Japan using Thai females ‘mules’ to carry the drugs into the country. The alleged gang leader, a Nigerian man, was arrested as well as Thai and other foreign members involved. Authorities found thousands of “ya ba” methamphetamine pills as well as hundreds of grams of crystal methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine and ecstasy pills. Thai Residents reported the bust, but it is unclear if it was Thai or Japanese authorities who made the arrests.
Thai police also cracked down on the gang known as “One Raptor,” seizing hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, heroin and ketamine as well as more than 250 million baht in cash. Police also arrested a man involved in the gang. The drug syndicate smuggles drugs into the Isan region, crossing the Laos-Thailand border, then distributes the drugs to Bangkok and other major cities.
SOURCE: Thai Residents
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Find more SE Asian News courtesy of The Thaiger.
Broke? Find employment in Southeast Asia with JobCute Thailand. Rich? Invest in real estate across Asia with FazWaz Property Group. Even book medical procedures worldwide with MyMediTravel, all powered by DB Ventures.
Read more headlines, reports & breaking news in North East Thailand. Or catch up on your Thailand news.

Crime
Police raids shut down online network of casinos across 7 provinces

Police have shut down a network of online casinos in raids that took place across 7 provinces, with 19 suspects arrested and cash and other goods seized. In total, 8 online casino networks in 7 provinces have been shut down, with police apprehending 19 out of a total 22 suspects.
Thai PBS World reports that the raids took place in Bangkok, as well as in the central provinces of Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Sara Buri, the eastern province of Rayong, the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, and the northern province of Chiang Mai. It’s understood the raids were carried out simultaneously. Officers confiscated 8 vehicles, 2 million baht in cash, and 54 mobile phones.
199 bank accounts are also being investigated, with police saying each one is in the names of the suspects, with transaction records of between 10 and 70 million baht.
The raids are the result of a police investigation into information that an application called “Royal Slot 777”, was being used in the illegal running of online gambling. Thousands of clients were involved in the gambling operations, with more than 1 billion baht circulating.
The networks operated from offices across several provinces, each overseeing a certain territory. Many offices were masquerading as transport or property management companies. According to police, the gambling networks were being run from abroad by Chinese businessmen.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Phuket
Phuket police officer charged with attempted murder for shooting and critically injuring a noodle vendor

The drunk, off-duty police officer in Phuket who has caught on camera shooting and beating a noodle vendor on Bangla Road is now facing attempted murder charges as well as charges of carrying a firearm in public without a necessary reason and firing a weapon in a public area. The commander of the Phuket police station said he ordered investigators to prosecute the officer Pornthep Channarong with every criminal charge that can be applied.
The officer had gotten into an altercation just before dawn yesterday and shot a young vendor who was walking by. Surveillance camera footage show the 25 year old suddenly falling to the ground after being shot. The officer walks up and shoots the vendor at a close range, but it appears the second shot did not hit the vendor. The officer also slapped the vendor in the face, picked him up and shoved him over, and then kicked him as he lay on the ground.
The vendor has a 4 year old daughter and 3 month old son. His wife says normally he works as a motorbike driver, but he was helping his mother selling noodles. He was shot while he was walking back from collecting a noodle bowl, she says. The vendor is in critical condition and being cared for at Vachira Phuket Hospital’s intensive care unit. He’s in need of Type B blood.
“For his condition, the doctor told me that the bullet went through his lung. He lost a lot of blood. We need a lot of Type B blood for him.”
A disciplinary investigation into the incident was launched by police and Pornthep was officially dismissed from the Royal Thai Police force. Region 8 Police Commander Kitrat Panpetch says the incident does not reflect the police force in Phuket.
“The incident was caused by an officer who did something wrong that our organisation does not want. We are a big organisation with more than 200,000 officers under our control. Our officers are not all bad like this.”
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pornsak Nuannu says he has reminded the police chiefs across the island to discuss reasons for carrying firearms in public.
“Carrying firearms is to prevent any type of crime that may happen, not to commit a crime by themselves like this incident. If I see any police doing such a thing, I will decisively proceed in terms of both officer discipline and criminal charges.”
SOURCE: Phuket News
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
Phuket
Drunk police officer shoots and beats vendor on Bangla Road in Phuket

A Phuket police officer was caught on camera beating and shooting at a noodle vendor on Bangla Road in Patong, critically injuring the young man. Reports vary on exactly what happened before the shooting, but apparently the police officer had been drinking until nearly dawn this morning before the incident.
Surveillance camera footage shows the 25 year old vendor suddenly falling to the ground after being shot. The officer then walks up and shoots again at close range. It appears the second shot did not hit the vendor. The officer walks away, but then comes back, slaps the vendor in the face, picks the vendor up and shoves him over, and then kicks the vendor before walking away. The vendor, Aroon Thongplab, is being treated at Vachira Phuket Hospital’s intensive care unit for a gunshot wound in his stomach.
Phuket News and Nation Thailand report different scenarios before the shooting. According to Phuket News, witnesses say the officer was drunk and was trying to get into the popular nightclub Illusion, but the venue’s bouncer refused and blocked the club’s entrance because the officer was carrying a gun. Officer Pornthep Channarong then pointed his gun to the road and shot the 25 year old vendor who was walking by, reports say.
Nation Thailand reports that the officer was drinking at a pub on Bangla Road around 5:45am this morning and got in an argument with foreigners. He then stepped outside and shot in the air as a threat, but the bullet hit the noodle vendor.
Police arrived at the scene around 6am and confiscated a 9mm handgun, 9 bullet casings and 2 live bullets. They took Pornthep to the local police station for questioning, but Patong police chief Sujin Nilabodi says the statements made by the detained officer were confusing because Pornthep was still drunk.
SOURCES: Phuket News | Nation Thailand
Keep in contact with The Thaiger by following our Facebook page.
Never miss out on future posts by following The Thaiger.
- Thailand3 days ago
Polygamy is not under Thai law, but the lifestyle is still practiced
- Crime4 days ago
Police raid “Hippie Festival Samui,” arrest French musicians for allegedly working without a permit
- Thailand2 days ago
Tourism officials aim for vaccinated travellers to enter Thailand by the third quarter of 2021
- Bangkok4 days ago
Thailand celebrity gets a month in jail for Covid-19 cluster birthday party at Bangkok hotel
- Thailand4 days ago
Cash-strapped Thai Airways plans to buy 20 to 30 aircraft in 2025
- Coronavirus (Covid-19)3 days ago
59 foreign tourists arrive in Phuket, first to undergo the luxurious “villa quarantine”
- Bangkok3 days ago
Bangkok bars and nightclubs may soon reopen, CCSA announcement expected today
- Cannabis4 days ago
Thai government hopes cannabis will be a primary cash crop for farmers