Gov raids drug-dealing suspects

Legacy Phuket GazetteThursday, March 13, 2003Last Updated: Thursday, March 13, 2003

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PHUKET TOWN: Police raided the houses of suspected drug dealers last night and seized pills and property valued at about 5 million baht. The raid, about 7:30 pm, was led by Pol Lt Col Paween Pongsirin, Superintendent of Phuket Town Police Station, and Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi. The Governor said today that he believes the alleged dealers, a married couple, were acting for much larger drug operators. Property seized included 34 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills, two cars, 100,000 baht in cash, two ATM cards and bank accounts containing a total of 3 million baht. Police named the alleged dealers as Sudjai Naiyanamas, 28, a room boy at a hotel in Kata Beach and originally from Ubon Ratchathani, and his wife Warunee Sae Tao, 33, originally from Chiang Mai. Police said the couple owned a small grocery and had been living in Phuket for seven years, but allegedly started selling ya bah (methamphetamine) just a few months ago. The couple denied that they were dealers. Police searched four houses the couple looked after and said they found the ya bah in the bedroom of the couple’s home in Chao Fa East Rd, Phuket Town. Gov Pongpayome told the media, “The reason why we have held a press conference even though there were just a few ya bah pills is because I believe a big agent must have been selling drugs to this couple.” The Governor alleged that K. Warunee pretended to have a foreign boyfriend in order to explain her assets, which in fact came from selling drugs. Her younger sister Wipa was arrested last year and was serving an 18-year term for drug offenses, he added. Police hope soon to identify the “Mr Big” they believe was behind the couple. Phuket officers have been cooperating with neighboring provinces and in all likelihood the drugs had been brought from the North for distribution in the South, said the Governor.