Pubdate: Tue, 03 Oct 2000
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2000
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Author: Wassayos Ngarmkham

RECORD PILL SEIZURE MADE

Two men and a woman were charged with trafficking in nearly two
million speed pills in Bang Na district yesterday.

Police arrested Amporn Butrklin, 30, Wises Kaewsombat, 30, and Sumol
Puangthong, 19, and seized 1,948,000 methamphetamine pills in a raid
on a shophouse in Sukhumvit Soi 105.

A car, a pick-up truck, three mobile phones and client lists were also
confiscated during the raid.

Mr Amporn told police he brought the speed from Tachilek market,
opposite Chiang Rai, and intended to sell the pills at 40 baht each,
of which he would receive three baht per pill.

Mr Wises was responsible for delivering the pills to customers and
collecting the money while Ms Sumol looked after the rented shophouse
and goods, he said. After checking the customer lists, police
discovered the gang received 996,000 pills on Aug 8 and sold 320,000,
they received 824,000 pills on Aug 14 and sold 22,000 and on Aug 30
received 970,000 pills, selling 390,000.

They sold 820,000 methamphetamine pills to small-scale customers
between Aug 8-Sept 27. The pills were hidden among electric
appliances, fruit and vegetables sent from the North and collected by
the gang at fresh markets in peripheral provinces, a police source
said.

The pills were also brought to the capital on interprovincial buses
with the co-operation of drivers and assistants.
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