August drug cases up 70% year-on-year: Phuket Police

PHUKET: August has seen a 70% jump in the number of reported drug cases year-on-year in Phuket, according to statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police.

According to the statistics, 333 were people arrested in 305 drug cases last month, a 70.1% increase on the number of cases reported in August 2009.

However, the numbers for last month were down compared with July this year, when 438 people were arrested on drug charges.

Most of the drugs arrests were for ya bah (methamphetamine), with 235 people arrested in 225 cases, with 9,935.4 ya bah pills and 132.7 grams of ya Ice (crystal methamphetamine) seized.

Other drug arrests included:

Heroin: nine arrests in seven cases, 32.9 grams seized

Dried marijuana: 25 arrests in seven cases, 128 grams seized

Kratom (an indigenous plant used as a stimulant): 31 arrests in 18 cases

Cocaine: one arrest, 11.2 grams seized

Alprazolam (Xanax): two arrests, 14 pills seized

Inhalants (e.g. glue, paint thinner): seven arrests

The second most common offense last month was prostitution, with 173 arrests, a slight rise (5.5%) on the same period last year.

There were 169 arrests in 51 cases of gambling, down 32.3% year-on-year.

Twenty-six people were arrested in cases involving underground lotteries, a significant decrease (29.3%) compared with August 2009.

In classifying crimes, there was a 33% drop in Category 1 (“heinous”) crimes, including premeditated murder, muggings, gang muggings, kidnapping and arson, with two arrests for three murders reported.

Category 2 (“physical abuse”) crimes, also including premeditated murder as well as murder, manslaughter, attempted murder, assault, rape and sexual assault, were down 40%, with 10 arrests in 15 cases.

Category 3 crimes, which include theft and most other crimes to private property, were down 26.3%.

The number of fraud cases (six cases, three arrests) were down compared with August 2009 (15 cases, 10 arrests).

Embezzlement was down 35%, with no arrests in nine reported cases.