Police auction off water buffaloes seized from drug dealer in northeast Thailand

Thai police confiscated 16 water buffaloes from a drug kingpin in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand, and sold them at auction today for almost 390,100 baht (US$10,882).

Earlier this month, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) seized 4.2 million baht in assets from “Yutt Nong Ya Khao,” the kingpin of a drug trafficking network in Isaan.

The court gathered evidence that Yongyuth (his real name) was smuggling and selling methamphetamine and issued a warrant for his arrest. Despite Yongyuth selling pills of Yaba (“crazy drug”) for just 10 baht per pill, he managed to sell so many drugs that he accumulated millions in assets.

Police arrested Yongyuth on Friday, November 4 and seized his house, cars, motorbikes, firearms, gold, drugs, over 100,000 baht in cash, and… a herd of buffaloes.

Secretary-General of the OCNB, Wichai Chaimongkol, and Director of the Office of Drug Prevention and Suppression Region 3, Krailet Daoruang, held an auction today to sell off some of the seized assets in the province’s Nong Ya Khao subdistrict.

All 16 buffaloes were quickly snapped up at the auction selling for a total price of 390,100 baht. Police also auctioned off Yongyuth’s house gold, three motorbikes, three cars, some furniture, and electrical appliances.

Wichai said the profits will be used to “support the mission of solving drug problems in the future following policies set by Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin.”

If you’re interested in buying random stuff seized from drug dealers in Thailand, you can find out about upcoming auctions on the ONCB’s website.

In May, Thai police auctioned off birds seized in drug busts at “Thailand’s first ever bird auction.” Police sold 314 birds in total including parrots, chickens, geese, and more – generating over 2 million baht in profit to help fight crime.

The stars of the show were six South American blue-and-yellow macaws which sold for 500,000 baht collectively.

In April last year, six pedigree cats confiscated by Thai police during drug raids found new homes via an auction in Rayong province. All six, including five Scottish Folds and one Bengal, were sold to one cat lover who bid 100,000 baht for the cats.