Sharp rise in drug arrests

PHUKET: The latest crime figures released by police here show that they made 128 drug raids and 150 drug-related arrests between August 1 and August 25. This is nearly double the number of arrests for drug offences during the same period in July. Slightly more than half of the drug arrests involved ya bah (methamphetamines), including the bust of a major dealing operation in Thalang on August 10, which netted 11,720 pills. Gambling arrests decreased to 220 people compared with July’s total of 276. Two murders were reported in the period. Both were solved and one man and one minor were arrested. Other arrests included one for attempted murder, 10 for assault, two for rape and two for prostitution. The number of arrests for illegal immigration decreased slightly to 230, compared with the previous month’s figure of 285.