Drug trafficking ring spanning across Thailand busted by police
A police crackdown resulted in the arrest of seven individuals in connection to a drug trafficking ring spanning the length of Thailand. Police stated the organised criminals caught yesterday had a long-standing pattern of sustained violence, striking fear into local communities.
The drug trafficking ring’s operations extended from Chiang Rai through Nakhon Si Thammarat and on to Trang. The arrests were made by the Suppression Division’s Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendents. Initially, the operation netted seven arrests on charges of jointly trading and possessing Category 1 drugs (methamphetamine) for sale, cooperating in serious drug-related offences, and violent activities indicative of criminal organization.
The sting was the culmination of investigations dating back to August of last year. Police authorities under the 6th Border Patrol received complaints from citizens facing drug-related disturbances from a drug trafficking network headed by Charoen (only first name revealed).
Charoen and his affiliates were secretly peddling drugs to local teenagers and using war weapons to terrorise villagers. Police interceptions led to Charoen’s arrest along with others, where methamphetamines, explosives, and firearms were also seized as evidence.
Assistant Superintendent Pongpanot Chuekaw stated that, upon widening their investigations, they discovered a group of criminals often involved in violent incidents and drug trafficking in the southern region. These suspects typically fled to the border areas in Myanmar, close to Chiang Rai, to avoid legal consequences.
Through connections within drug trafficking circles and acquaintances in jail, these culprits became the primary suppliers sending drugs for distribution in the southern region, reported KhaoSod.
Charoen’s group committed various interconnected crimes in many provinces across the country, resulting in the initiation of operations by authorities to curb drugs and crime. Their main aims were to track down the suspects who served as money collectors and drug distributors. Those criminals handled the transfer of drug money to Charoen. Police have been busy conducting raids and have vowed to rid communities of the whole illicit network of drug traffickers.
