Phuket police arrest armed 7-Eleven drug dealer

PHUKET: Police last night arrested an armed man who confessed to selling ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) to teenagers in front of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Cherng Talay.

Lt Col Sommai On-khum and fellow officers moved in and arrested 32-year-old Cherng Talay resident Sitthi Suebprasit in front of the 7-Eleven in Baan Pasak, on the Cherng Talay-Baan Don Road, at 10:30pm.

“We found four grams of ya ice in plastic bags and a homemade handgun loaded with one cartridge under his bike seat,” Col Sommai explained.

“Mr Sitthi confessed that he supplied ya ice to teenagers in the Cherng Talay area. He said he bought the drugs from a friend, Nopporn Songkram,” he added.

Mr Sitthi was charged with possession of a category 1 narcotic and carrying a gun in a public area.

“We are now searching for Mr Nopporn,” Lt Col Sommai said.

— Thawit Bilabdullar