Phuket police nab meth ‘delivery man’ at Tesco

PHUKET: Phuket City Police yesterday arrested a drug mule with 2,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills and 197.14 grams of ya ice (crystal meth), with a street value of about 1.1 million baht.

The arrest followed the initial arrest of Jamnong Chumplub, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, who was found in possession with 10 ya bah pills in an earlier raid.

During questioning, Mr Jamnong told police he “ordered” the drugs through a man he identified only as “Mr Phab”, who is apparently currently imprisoned in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, said police.

Mr Jamnong was waiting for a drug delivery when police arrested him.

Officers arranged for Mr Jamnong to have another shipment delivered to a rendezvous point at Tesco Lotus at noon yesterday.

Police pounced on Aram “Paek” Or-Yam, 48, from Ranong, when he showed up with the drugs.

He now faces charges of possession and intent to sell class 1 drugs.

At the media conference this morning, Mr Aram confessed that he had been hired many times to deliver drugs for Mr Phap.

He was paid 20,000 baht for each delivery.

Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong, who chaired the conference at Phuket City Police Station, said police believe Mr Aram was part of the same drug network that saw a man caught trying to smuggle 2,000 ya bah pills hidden in Vitamilk cartons onto the island on Wednesday.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan