Northern Thai police seize assets, drugs valued at over 900 million baht

Northern Thai police have seized assets/drugs valued at $31.127 million US dollars (over 900 million baht) from a drug cartel that has been based out of the Golden Triangle.

Secretary General of the Office of the Narcotics Board Wichai Chaimongkol, said yesterday that the cartel moved heroin from Northern Thailand into Malaysia by way of a production centre somewhere in the Golden Triangle area of Myanmar.

Wichai added that there were 3 stages to the Narcotics Suppression operation. It all started earlier this year…

In early February, 2 suspects were arrested with 100 kilograms of crystal meth and 381 methamphetamine pills on their person in Chiang Rai. Then, later in the month, authorities arrested 3 more suspects and seized 100 packages of heroin in the northern Thai province of Nan. Assets valued at 34.9 US million were seized.

Wichai went on to say that the investigation intensified which resulted in the 3rd raid, yesterday morning. Police seized assets valued at $37 US Million. A location was not provided. He did say that 10 warrants are out for additional suspects, 5 of which have already been arrested.

In total, police seized assets valued at over 1 billion baht through the 3 operations, says Wichai. He did not extrapolate on the assets seized nor did he give specifics of the raids.

The Secretary General did say the investigation is still going strong. They now want to find the leaders of the cartel and the operators of a drug production lab in Myanmar. Also, the gang’s “agents” are sought in Malaysia.

He did not say whether continually seizing assets and arresting suspects signified a turning tide against the war on drugs or whether it was fruitlessly perpetuating an endless feedback loop.

SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times