Police officer and his wife arrested for drug dealing, illegal guns
In the Phunphin district of Surat Thani, crystal methamphetamine was impounded from the home of a police officer and his wife could have now been arrested. The 52 year old police officer who worked at the Phunphin Police Station was arrested along with his 44 year old wife and charged with selling illicit drugs.
A fact-finding investigation has been launched into his level of involvement in the drug trade, and he was fired from his police officer position according to a statement by the chief of police in Surat Thani today. The officer had been stationed in tambon Leeled at a public service unit before the arrest and his subsequent dismissal.
The police officer and his wife were arrested by a team from the Border Patrol Police Company 417 working in conjunction with local officers. The arrest was made on Thursday at their home where the crystal meth was confiscated.
During the arrest, police uncovered 900 grammes of crystal meth and, in addition to the illegal drugs, 3 firearms were seized. The couple was taken into custody and transferred to the Phunphin Police Station where he had worked until very recently. There they will face prosecution and further legal action including charges of possessing weapons without permission and colluding to possess illegal drugs with the intent to sell.
Police corruption has long been quietly acknowledged in Thailand but has recently been thrust into the spotlight with the case of Pol Col Thitisan “Jo Ferrari” Utthanaphon who, with 6 of his subordinates, was filmed suffocating a suspect to death in what some claim was an attempt at extortion. The public was outraged at the visual proof of corruption that is believed to be existing in the shadows in Thailand.
In the proceedings that followed, his massive wealth and collection of luxury cars that earned him the nickname Jo Ferrari were exposed publicly, further infuriating people who wondered how an officer’s salary had funded such opulence.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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