Dealers dealt a blow: 13 nabbed in Bangkok Nana drug bust
Thirteen drug dealers found themselves in handcuffs in Bangkok’s bustling Phra Khanong district as Royal Thai Police (RTP) swooped on illegal narcotic deals over the weekend.
The suspects, accused of peddling illegal drugs to unsuspecting tourists along the infamous Sukhumvit Road, mark a significant win for RTP officers determined to clean up the city’s inner areas.
Commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), Police Lieutenant General Santi Chaniramai, announced yesterday, January 20, that the busts are part of a concerted effort to rid Bangkok’s core zones, especially the notorious Nana neighbourhood straddling Klong Toey and Watthana districts, of such unscrupulous activity.
Out of the 13 drug dealers arrested, a staggering 11 hail from various African nations, including Nigeria and Ivory Coast, with the remaining two being Thai nationals. The arrests occurred at two distinct locations within Phra Khanong, where police seized 61 grammes of cocaine. The suspects now face charges of illegal possession of a Type-2 narcotic with intent to sell.
The group was known for its brazen sidewalk solicitations in tourist hotspots, where they would boldly approach passers-by, whispering offers of cocaine or crystal meth, reported Bangkok Post.
In a separate, unrelated development, Pol. Lt. Gen. Santi revealed that the NSB had thwarted a major drug-smuggling operation on Sunday. Thanks to valuable tip-offs from vigilant local informants, officials successfully intercepted a massive drug consignment being ferried south from Chiang Rai.
The seized haul included a staggering 478,000 methamphetamine pills and 30 kilogrammes of ketamine hidden within a convoy of three cars. While two suspects managed to flee when police executed a checkpoint at a petrol station in Ron Phibun district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, one individual was apprehended, according to Pol Lt Gen Santi.
Meanwhile, the dragnet against drug traffickers spread wider on Friday. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) nabbed five individuals linked to the audacious smuggling of 1.65 tonnes of crystal meth, with a street value of no less than 20 million baht.
The substantial stash was cunningly concealed within 33 cotton rolls in a Bangkok warehouse located in Rat Burana district. ONCB Secretary General Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurat Lukboon disclosed that the smuggling network behind the operation is using Thailand mainly as a transit hub.
Their ultimate aim was to ship the drugs onwards to destinations across the region, including Australia, South Korea, and Japan.
These concerted efforts underscore the determination of Thai authorities to dismantle drug networks and halt the misuse of Thailand as a narcotics thoroughfare.
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