Juicy bust: Thai police squeeze illicit kratom factory
A substantial operation by the Royal Thai Police (RTP) yesterday, culminated in the seizure of an illicit factory manufacturing kratom leaf juice. The raid led to the confiscation of around 3000 bottles of cough syrup, three guns, and the arrest of one suspect.
The RTP stormed into the clandestine factory situated along Khlong Toei-Khlong Ple Road nearby the Kho Hong intersection in Songkhla province. The factory produced a wide variety of kratom products including fresh kratom leaves, concentrated kratom leaf juice, carbonated beverage and even cough syrup.
Whilst examining the site of the illegal operation, officials recovered various illicit items, foremost amongst these being 2,760 bottles of cough syrup. There was also cash amounting to 7,950 baht (US$ 229), a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition, a .38-calibre revolver with 50 rounds of ammunition and a .12-calibre shotgun with 10 rounds of shells. Notably, the first two weapons were registered, whilst the third, the .38-calibre firearm, appeared to be unregistered.
The establishment also contained a mini-manufacturing plant for producing kratom leaf juice at the back. The site was equipped with ten gas stoves, ten large pots for boiling kratom leaves and ten large ice buckets. The cleanliness of the premises left a lot to be desired, raising additional public health concerns over the retail products it produced, reported KhaoSod.
Nitipat (surname withheld), a 28 year old man, was apprehended following the raid. He faces three charges: possession for sale of a currently scheduled substance (cough syrup), possession of firearms and ammunition without permission, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. He has been transferred to the Songkhla Provincial Police Department for further legal proceedings.
The RTP raid was reportedly instigated following intelligence suggesting that a shop selling kratom leaves was covertly producing and distributing kratom leaf juice and related products. Not only did the establishment act as a small-scale kratom juice factory, but it also possessed several illicit items, including cough syrup and firearms, particularly the three seized guns.
Nitipat, however, argued that he had only recently started storing the firearms for self-protection after an incident involving delinquents who had attempted to steal marijuana and were subsequently apprehended.
