Koh Pha Ngan: French tourist nabbed for drug dealing

Surat Thani police officers, alongside the Pa Cha Da Special Operation Unit, apprehended a 41 year old French national at a hotel bar on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday. Authorities unveiled a stash of narcotics and incriminating evidence.

Among the damning items seized were 19.7 grammes of cocaine, 23 ecstasy pills, a digital scale, and 6,000 baht in cash, along with a suspicious waist bag. Further investigations led to the recovery of additional evidence from Ilan’s leased residence in Village No. 1, Subdistrict Ban Tai.

Speaking on the grave charges, Poice Major General Sermphan Sirikong, commander of Surat Thani Provincial Police, revealed that the Frenchman faces accusations of distributing ecstasy and selling cocaine without authorisation, offences carrying hefty penalties under Thailand’s stringent Narcotics Code.

According to the law, those found guilty of dealing with Category 1 narcotics could face up to 15 years behind bars and a hefty fine of 1,500,000 baht. Similarly, trading in Category 2 narcotics could result in imprisonment for up to 15 years, coupled with fines ranging from 100,000 to 1,500,000 baht.

The crackdown comes as part of a broader initiative to uphold tourism regulations and ensure the safety of visitors, a priority echoed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s administration, reported KhaoSod English.

To fortify security measures, Pol. Maj. Gen. Saranyu Chamnanrat, Deputy Commander of Provincial Police Region 8, has sanctioned the establishment of the Pa Cha Da Special Operation Unit, tasked with patrolling entertainment venues, hotels, and high-risk areas to combat crimes that threaten public safety.

In related news, Thai police arrested a British man after he allegedly begged for money to buy drugs outside a convenience store in Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Locals on Koh Pha Ngan reported to authorities after seeing a foreign man begging outside a 7-Eleven convenience store and using drugs in the area.

In other news, Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police Bureau apprehended a 45 year old French national at a hotel in the Silom area of Bang Rak district.