Drug cases top Phuket crime statistics for October

PHUKET: Crime statistics released by the Phuket Provincial Police for October this year show decreases in most crime categories, with narcotics-related crimes once again the most common.

There was no change in the number of Category 1 (heinous) crimes year-on-year, with 10 cases reported.

There were four pre-mediated murders reported with two arrests in October this year and five cases of gang robbery, which involve three or more people using force or intimidation to steal from others.

There was a 56.3% increase in Category 2 crimes, which include assault and rape. The increase was led by a doubling in the number of assault cases year on year, with 14 reported in October 2010. There were also five reported rapes during the period, compared to just one in October 2009.

Category 3 crimes, which include all crimes to private property, were down 23.0% year-on-year. There were 43 general theft cases reported in October 2010.

There was a 50% drop in Category 4 crimes, which are a grouping of 10 “crimes of interest”. This was led by a 50% drop in reported embezzlement cases, of which 10 cases were reported in October this year. There were arrests in only two of these cases.

Other “crimes of interest” reported included motorcycle theft (6 cases, 3 arrests), auto theft (5 cases, no arrests) and fraud (2 cases, no arrests).

As usual the bulk of criminal charges were in Category 5, defined as “crimes against the state”. There was a 29.8% overall drop year-on-year, with 295 cases reported.

There were 227 drug cases, with arrests in all cases. This was a 21.2% decrease in reported cases, year-on-year.

More than half of the cases, 144, involved possession and/or sale of ya bah (methamphetamine). Seized as evidence in these cases were 3,552 ya bah pills.

There were also 28 cases involving ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), with 34 people arrested and 122 grams of the drug seized.

Eighteen people were arrested for possession or sale of marijuana, with 141 grams and one live plant seized.

Twenty-eight people were arrested in cases involving possession or sale of krathom, an indigenous plant with leaves that act as a stimulant when ingested.

Evidence seized in these cases included 778 leaves and small amounts of krathom extract.

The number of firearm cases was down 29.4% year-on-year, with 12 cases reported.

Gambling cases were down 20.5%, with 35 reported cases.

There were no reported cases of prostitution in Phuket in October.