Chumphon: Highway police intercepted a drug trafficking network carrying over a million methamphetamine pills intended for distribution in the southern region. The suspects involved were found to have a history of drug involvement.
According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Maj. Gen. Kongkrit Lertsitthikun, Commander of the Highway Police, along with relevant officials, announced the arrest of Mr. Suriya, a 49-year-old suspect, at a press conference held at the Pracha-arak Building of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB). Mr. Suriya was apprehended for smuggling over 1,000,000 methamphetamine pills.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kla Sombatphibun, Superintendent of Highway Police Station 4, Division 2, stated that the arrest occurred on August 17, 2015, around noon during a routine patrol in Wisai Nuea Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chumphon Province. Officers noticed a suspicious sedan with dark-tinted windows and a heavily loaded rear end. The vehicle’s erratic speed raised further suspicions. Upon checking the vehicle’s registration through the Central Investigation Bureau’s Big Data database, it was revealed that the owner had a history of drug involvement. A search of the vehicle uncovered a white fertilizer sack and four additional sacks containing 100 plastic bundles of methamphetamine pills, totaling approximately 1,000,000 pills.
Mr. Suriya confessed to being hired by an individual, referred to as Mr. A, to transport drugs from Chonburi Province to the southern region for a fee of 60,000 baht. He admitted to using methamphetamine during the trip, which was confirmed by a hospital-conducted urine test. Following his confession, Mr. Suriya and the seized drugs were handed over to investigators for further legal proceedings.
Background checks revealed Mr. Suriya’s involvement in drug trafficking in the southern region, with a history of multiple arrests for drug use and possession. His most recent arrest before this incident was in 2012, and he was released from prison around 2019. Despite his previous arrests, Mr. Suriya continued his involvement in the drug trafficking network until his recent apprehension.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Kongkrit emphasized that the operation aligns with the government’s and the Central Investigation Bureau’s drug suppression policies. He commended the highway police for their vigilance in spotting suspicious activity and effectively utilizing big data systems, which led to the successful arrest of the suspects. An investigation will continue to ensure all parties involved are brought to justice.