Ya bah bust sets new record

MAI KHAO: Officers on Friday night made Phuket history with a record seizure of 20,000 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills with a street value of about 3 million baht. Speaking at a press conference at Provincial Hall on Saturday afternoon, Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi explained that the bust followed a three-month undercover investigation involving about 15 officers of the Border Patrol Police Bureau from Nakhon Sri Thammarat and Phang Nga, and from the Phuket Provincial Defense Office. Intentionally vague about details of the operation, Gov Pongpayome explained that officers arranged to buy the pills from Kriangkrai “Ya” Jitkuae, Yongyuth “Bao” Tungmun and Anothai “Kuea” Teabtud, all Phuket natives, at a wat in Mai Khao at 7 pm on Friday night. Officers set up the deal using 900,000 baht loaned from the Royal Thai Police confiscated money fund. In the raid, officers also netted a Honda Accord sedan, three mobile phones and a motorbike. “This is the biggest ya bah case in Phuket, but I believe we have more big dealers like this,” said Gov Pongpayome. All three men denied charges of possession and trafficking in ya bah, and claimed they were innocent. They were taken to Thalang Police Station to await trial.