Phuket Town meth network unraveled, guns seized

PHUKET: Police confiscated four firearms, 194 rounds of ammunition, 3,507 ya ba (methamphetamine) pills and 31 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) during a two-day raid on a Phuket Town drug network.

“The contraband seized was in the possession of the four suspects we arrested,” Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Phuket Provincial Police said yesterday.

The string of arrests started with an undercover police officer apprehending Siriporn Raksakaew, 24, with two grams of ya ice at the PSA Hotel in Phuket Town on October 5. She was charged with possession of a category 1 drug.

“The testimonial from Ms Siriporn led us back to the hotel, where we arrested Aniwat Chamnan,” Col Prawit said.

In Mr Aniwat’s possession, police found 15 grams of ya ice, a homemade firearm and three rounds of ammunition.

From Mr Aniwat’s statements police were able to track down Chaiyan Ruengpetch, 31, at his rental room on Soi Hatchananiwet.

In addition to 15 grams of ya ice and 3,501 ya ba pills, Mr Chaiyan was in possession of a small arsenal of illegal weapons and ammunition: a semi-automatic M1 carbine, a Mauser handgun, a CZ 9mm handgun and matching ammunition.

Mr Aniwat and Mr Chaiyan were both charged for the possession of a category 1 drug with intent to sell and possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.

After police questioning, Mr Chaiyan told officers that all of the drugs seized thus far were originally supplied by Kittipong Saeleaw, 28.

Mr Kittipong, who was out on bail for drug charges and the illegal possession of a firearm, was arrested in the parking lot of The Sky Hotel in Rassada. He was in possession of six ya ba pills.

“We charged him with the possession of a category 1 drug with intent to sell. However, he has denied being the head of the drug network we had just disassembled,” Col Prawit said.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong