Busted: Phuket grocery shop doubled as Yaba drug den
Undercover buy leads to shocking haul and fresh probe into local trafficking ring
A quiet neighbourhood grocery shop in Phuket has been exposed as a brazen front for drug dealing, after stunned officials swooped in on a sting operation that netted hundreds of methamphetamine (meth) pills.
The arrest unfolded on Wednesday evening, July 2, at around 6.30pm, in Baan Phru Samphan, Thepkrasattri subdistrict. Phuket Provincial Defence Officer Akkara Suwatthikul led the raid, backed by a 10-strong team from the Volunteer Defence Corps (OrSor), determined to shut down the illegal trade that locals said had been operating in plain sight.
Officials launched the operation after receiving a flurry of complaints from residents, who claimed the grocery store owner—already on bail for a previous drug case—was brazenly selling yaba without fear of arrest.
An undercover officer posed as a buyer to gather evidence, a move that quickly paid off.
“An undercover purchase confirmed the ongoing sale of methamphetamine pills from the premises,” an official report said.
During the raid, officers arrested one male suspect, whose name has not been released, and seized 282 yaba pills, including 25 pills purchased during the sting. Cash totalling 560 baht was also confiscated as evidence.
“The suspect has been charged with the distribution of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) with intent to sell, and possession of severe Category 1 narcotics without permission,” the report said.
He was immediately taken to Thalang Police Station, where he is now facing serious legal consequences.
Officials stressed that the arrest is just the beginning.
“Further investigations are underway to dismantle the wider drug network operating in the area,” a spokesperson said, adding that the operation aimed to send a clear message that illegal drug activity will not be tolerated.
The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, with many residents expressing disbelief that the unassuming grocery shop had become a hub for meth distribution, reported The Phuket News.
Locals say they hope the crackdown will finally bring some peace to the neighbourhood. One resident, who asked not to be named, said, “We were living in fear. People were coming and going at all hours. It’s a relief to see action being taken.”
Police urged anyone with further information about drug trafficking in the area to come forward as they ramp up efforts to break the supply chain.
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