Police pose as joggers to catch foreigners hosting drug party in Koh Pha Ngan
Locals’ complaint launches undercover police operation
Police officers disguised as joggers yesterday, November 6, arrested two foreign men for hosting a drug party at a house on Koh Pha Ngan, and seized cocaine from the suspects.
Officers from Koh Pha Ngan Tourist Police received a tip-off about suspicious behaviour at a rented house on the island. The informant reported that several foreigners were making loud noises and frequently going in and out of the property.
Officers then planned a stakeout, disguising themselves as people out for a run. After confirming that a drug party was indeed taking place, police then coordinated a raid on the property.
Inside, officers found two foreign men, later identified as Roman, a 26 year old Russian, and Hugo, a 28 year old Frenchman.
The pair quickly tried to cover a white powdery substance on the table with a cloth and fled into a bedroom, but officers managed to detain them.
A search of the premises uncovered 3.14 grammes of cocaine on the table. Both men reportedly confessed to buying the drugs from an unidentified Thai man near a hotel for personal use.
The two were taken to the police station for legal proceedings. The charges and potential penalties they face were not revealed in the report.
Based on similar cases, the suspects may be charged under Section 162: use of a Category 1 drug. The offence carries a penalty of up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
A similar raid took place on Koh Pha Ngan in October, when police arrested four Israeli soldiers during a drug party at a villa on the island.
Officers seized 0.59 grammes of cocaine and 1.37 grammes of ecstasy from the group after receiving a complaint from a French national staying in a nearby villa about loud music and noise from their party.
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