Aliens top April crime stats

PHUKET: Illegal immigration cases topped the list of arrests during the period from April 1 to April 25, according to statistics released yesterday by Phuket police. A total of 237 people were taken into custody over illegal immigration cases compared to 421 in the same period of the previous month. Gambling arrests numbered 229, from 73 police raids. Of the 87 people arrested for narcotics possession or trafficking, 44 were held for possession and selling ya bah (methamphetamine). Police seized 905.5 ya bah pills in making the arrests. Among other crimes, there were 42 cases of theft reported, and 35 arrests. Police also arrested 13 people for illegal possession of firearms. Of 23 reports of violent crime, two were rapes and 16 involved assault causing bodily harm. There were 15 arrests for assault. Police recorded five murders and there were five arrests for murder.