Gambling tops arrest stats again

PHUKET: Gambling arrests topped the Phuket police scoreboard again in April, with 209 people held for gambling offenses between April 1 and 25. The figure does not include the 91 people arrested in raids on casinos on April 29. Provincial Police statistics released today showed arrests of illegal immigrants coming in second place, with 189 people locked up, followed by narcotics offenses, with 120 people arrested in the course of 111 raids. Of the 120, 42 were arrested for offenses related to “ya bah” (methamphetamine). 490 ya bah pills were seized. There was one murder included in the statistics, with the perpetrator still at large; one of attempted murder, with a suspect placed in custody; and two cases of manslaughter, with an arrest made in one of them. Thirteen people were arrested for assault, and three for sexual assault. Forty cases of theft were reported, with arrests made in 28 of them. Twenty-four people were charged with prostitution, and another 19 with illegal possession of weapons.