Police officer arrested for trafficking in 1.2 million methamphetamine pills

A border patrol police sergeant and eight other civilians were arrested separately in several places after they were responsible for trafficking in 1.2 million methamphetamine pills from across the border to Thailand.

The police officer admitted that he had been involved in narcotics on 3 previous occasions all in order to clear gambling debts that he had incurred.

Police General Somyos Phumphanmuang, the commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, said Pol Sgt Major Jirawat Maklai, the head of the 32nd Border Patrol Squad of the Phaya Mengrai Camp in Chiang Rai province, along with eight associates had been arrested on charges of narcotics trafficking after more than 1,200,000 crazy pills or methamphetamine were seized.

He said the arrest was the result of a tip-off that a van was making a trip to transport drugs from Chiang Rai and was heading to Klong Luang district in Pathumthani province to deliver them.

The police narcotics unit was alerted and the vehicle in question was discovered while in the process of offloading the drugs and was duly arrested.

Seven individuals were arrested and following information given by the suspects police were able to raid a home of another suspect and a further 2 individuals were arrested along with 65 pills.

Related investigation made a connection which led to a raid on yet another drug syndicate based in Rayong province. One suspect was arrested.

After being questioned, Jirawat admitted that this was the third time that he had carried out the narcotics operation and the proceeds were to pay off gambling debts that he had accumulated.

Pol. Gen. Somyos stated that the officer will face charges while his superiors are also liable to face disciplinary action for not taking care of his subordinate who managed to engage in drug trafficking for three separate occasions.

Thai PBS

 

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