Red card: Thai cops in Liverpool kits bust Toon clad drug dealer
A Thai drug dealer wearing a Newcastle United football jersey was arrested yesterday by Krabi police officers clad in Liverpool replica shirts in an ironic swoop.
The symbolic arrest was in revenge for Liverpool’s defeat to Newcastle last week in the Carabao Cup final. United beat the Reds 2-1 thanks to goals by Dan Burn and Alexander Isak to lift a domestic trophy for the first time in 70 years.
Apichat, also known as Bang Ann, was wearing the Newcastle jersey when he was arrested yesterday, March 20, for drug trafficking while selling meatballs. Police officers seized 600 methamphetamine tablets during the operation.
Preecha Saingthong, Mueang Krabi’s district chief, orchestrated the sting with security head Viratdech Boonruangkhaw and official Chaiwat Thonghem, leading a team of special operations officers.
The target, 33 year old Apichat, managed a fried meatball business but intelligence linked him to an illicit side hustle: drug trafficking in Ao Nang and surrounding areas. The cleverly crafted operation involved a set-up to purchase three bags of meth, each with 200 tablets, for about 9,000 baht.
The exchange was planned to unfold at a discreet shack in Mueang subdistrict. As the deal progressed, officers revealed their identities and arrested Apichat with the incriminating evidence. He was swiftly handed over for legal proceedings, facing charges of dealing a category 1 narcotic with intent to distribute.
The fortuitous alignment of sports and justice highlighted Apichat’s unfortunate fashion choice at the time of arrest.
This peculiar convergence of football rivalry and law enforcement provided a light-hearted undercurrent to Krabi’s ongoing crackdown on crime. The arrest, set against the backdrop of a spirited sporting defeat, offers a memorable tale of irony in action.
Stay tuned as Apichat’s court proceedings progress, ensuring that justice remains as swift as Liverpool’s quest for Premier League glory this season.
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