Thai and Laos authorities unite to extradite Malaysian drug lord

The Narcotics Control Board Office (ONCB) in Thailand and Laos authorities are collaborating to extradite a Malaysian drug lord, a crucial figure in an international drug cartel, to Thailand. The notable suspect, 39 year old Ong Gim Wah, was apprehended in Laos during a joint mission on December 29.

Ong, who had a bounty worth 1 million baht (US$29,036) on his head, has been a pivotal player in the procurement of drugs and liaison with drug cartels in the Golden Triangle area since 2006.

Panurat Lakboon, a Police Lieutenant General and the acting secretary-general of ONCB, revealed that Thai police had seized more than 4.4 tonnes of methamphetamine pills.

“The arrest of Ong could diminish the drug trade involving crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine by as much as 70%.”

Panurat disclosed a drug suppression campaign executed between October and December of the previous year. This operation was a component of the government’s Quick Win strategies to tackle drug issues within a year. Police Lieutenant General Panurat reported an 80% increase in seizures from the prior year, with narcotics suppression police making arrests in 268 cases, confiscating three tonnes of crystal meth and more than 200 million methamphetamine pills.

Panurat further stated that a significant drug network was thwarted from smuggling over 50 million methamphetamine pills across the border, reported Bangkok Post.

“In addition, small traffickers were arrested in over 23,000 cases, a 22.7% increase on the previous year, and drug-related assets exceeding 709 million baht (US$ 20,582,645) were seized.”

In the meantime, the Internal Security Operations Command taskforce units 24 and 35, overseeing Thailand’s northeastern and northern borders, arrested 372 drug smugglers, recovering more than 13 million methamphetamine pills and 0.8 kilogrammes of heroin. Also, 19,638 drug addicts across the country have undergone rehabilitation, accounting for 21.51% of those targeted. Furthermore, 22,129 drug users have partaken in behaviour development programmes.

Under the government’s Quick Win policy, 1,052 out of 4,414 patients in 85 risk-prone districts in 30 provinces suffering from mental illness due to illegal drugs are receiving treatment. The Public Health Ministry has plans to broaden psychiatric treatment centres for drug patients across the country.