Pubdate: Sat, 23 Oct 2004 Source: Chiangmai Mail (Thailand) Copyright: 2004 Chiangmai Mail Contact: http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3105 Author: Nopniwat Krailerg Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) LARGE DRUG BUST IN CHIANG MAI NETS DEALERS AND AGENTS Extra-Judicial Killing in Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai Pha Muang Task Force seized over 400,000 ya ba pills from two agents in Chiang Dao and Chai Prakan districts and confiscated the dealers' properties valued at 20 million baht. A joint press conference was held on October 16 at the Pha Muang Task Force by Pol Lt Gen Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij, commander of Narcotic Suppression Bureau, Maj Gen Manus Paorik, the commander of Pha Muang Task Force, and Pittaya Jinawat, director of the Office of Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Northern Office. The ya ba was produced in Burma, some time ago and was smuggled into the kingdom through Ban Na Kong Moo-Pong Pa Khaem, in Thai Yai occupied areas and then via Chiang Dao district in Chiang Mai. The Pha Muang Task Force had been tipped off that the ya ba shipments would be smuggled into Chiang Dao and Chai Prakan districts. Two teams of soldiers and drug suppression police were sent to stop the transfers and arrest the two groups of traffickers. The information was that the first rendezvous would take place at 1 p.m. at the Ban Rin Luang - Muang Na roadside in tambon Mae Na, Chiang Dao district. The plainclothes soldiers pretended to purchase the ya ba from a Thai Yai dealer named La. They then seized 300,000 ya ba pills and arrested him. On the same day, at 5 p.m., it was arranged that another three dealers, Soonthorn Phibarnkij, 36, Nafu Phibarnkij, 40, and Jawa Laojang, 23, residents of Chai Prakan district, would supply ya ba to the plainclothes police at Ban Pha Hong in tambon Sri Dong Yen, Chai Prakan district. Soldiers and police therefore co-planned to arrest the three dealers. The three dealers rode up on a motorcycle but twigged that this was a set-up and began firing on the police. In the ensuing gun battle, Soonthorn was killed, but Nafu and Jawa were arrested and over 100,000 Ya Ba pills, one shotgun, and a motorcycle were seized. After the arrest, the authorities confiscated properties belonging to Soonthorn and Nafu that included 200,000 baht cash, a title deed, a house located on 1 rai land, four deposits for land in tambon Sri Dong Yen, a bank deposit account, a longan drying factory on 2 rai, along with eight drying ovens, 10 rai of longan plantations and a Toyota pickup truck. The combined value was 20 million baht. Pol Lt Gen Watcharapol said that drug busts have gradually decreased from 260,000 cases in 2002 to 160,000 cases in 2003 and 70,000 cases this year. - ---