Undercover ya bah sting nets four

THALANG: Police have arrested four people for possession and sale of a total of more than 900 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills. The arrests began on Monday afternoon when an officer in plain clothes posed as a customer to buy 10 pills from a couple who run a shuttle boat for tourists between Koh Yao and Ao Por pier in Pa Khlok, said Pol Lt Col Narong Natebutra, Inspector of the Phuket Marine Police. After the sale to the undercover officer, other police moved in to arrest Torhed Cholahat, 39, and his wife, Supin Kaewtima, 35. Col Narong said Torhed, who was found to have one pill in his pocket, told police that he had started to sell ya bah as a way to make extra money, buying ya bah pills from a dealer at 100 baht and reselling them for 130 to 150 baht each. “Torhed confessed that he had bought the ya bah from 26-year-old Prakop Homhuan,” Col Narong said. “Officers then went to Prakop’s house, which is near the Ao Po pier, and found 200 ya bah pills. He too was arrested.” Prakop in turn told police that he had bought his supply from Tanyarat Homrodkra, 24, of Baan Para, Pa Khlok. Officers went to Tanyarat’s home that evening and found 700 ya bah pills hidden in a baby’s basket. All four are being held in custody pending trial.