Drug dealer avoids capture

KATHU: Following a series of tip-offs, Kathu Police seized a suitcase containing 510 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills in a sting operation on March 3.

However, police narrowly failed to snare the intended target, a major drug dealer from Chiang Mai known as Suphawat, who fled the scene before he could be arrested.

Police set a trap to catch Suphawat following inquiries after the arrests of four men in two separate drug busts earlier the same day.

Pol Lt Col Nitikorn Rawang of the Kathu Police said suspicious behavior by Nattawut Kachinrat, 21, from Trang and two 16-year-old males sitting in front of a house on Phra Barami Soi 1 at 2:45 am on March 3 had alerted patrol police.

Police searched the group, who were found in possession of 46 ya bah pills.

The three men told police that they had bought the drugs from Krissada Yakiti, 19, for about 700 baht per pill and that Krissada came to Phuket from Chiang Rai twice a month with drugs to sell.

Police managed to arrest Krissada the same day, charging him with possession of 10 ya bah pills. Krissada told police his ya bah supplier was a man named Suphawat from Chiang Mai and helped police organize the sting operation by ordering 500 ya bah pills from Suphawat.

He arranged to pick them up at a predetermined location on Thaweewong Rd.

When police moved in to catch Suphawat, they found a locked suitcase with the drugs inside, but Suphawat had already fled.