Arrests start the anti-drug crusade

PHUKET TOWN: Two alleged drug dealers arrested for selling ya bah (methamphetamine) on Sunday were among the island’s first casualties in the national crackdown on illegal drugs. Vice-Governor Winai Buapradit said that the arrests came about because of a tip-off to Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi, who is concentrating his energies on the anti-drug war for the next three months. Phuket Town’s Chief of Drugs Suppression, Pol Lt Col Witoon Kongsudjai, and his team arrested Worachot “Chot” Saekow, 27, of Surin Rd, and Tantipong “Tum” Poolsiri, 26, of Wichitsongkram Rd. Before their arrests, an officer posing as a drug user met Tum at a house on Chao Fa East Rd and bought five tablets of ya bah. Then Tum rode his motorbike to give the money to Chot, who allegedly supplied the ya bah. Police, who had trailed Tum to Chot’s house, arrested the two men after the money had changed hands. Tum confessed that he sold ya bah but Chot denied involvement, said Pol Capt Passakorn Sontikul of Phuket Town Police Station. The pair are being held at Phuket Provincial Prison without bail.