Thai drug bust uncovers a Malaysian middleman

Thai police have revealed that a Malaysian middleman is believed to be behind a drug smuggling syndicate operating in Thailand's Loei province. – Reuters pic, September 3, 2014.A 

Malaysian middleman is believed to be behind a drug smuggling syndicate operating in Thailand's Loei province, Thai police revealed after a major drug haul on Tuesday.

Police said this came following the arrest of a couple at the Loei Wangsai sub-district in Phu Luang district, Thai PBS reported today.

The seizure, according to the news portal, was the largest ever recorded in the area. It consisted of more than 150 kilos of heroin and a large number of methamphetamine.

Investigations revealed that the drugs are believed to be connected to a Malaysian middleman who distributed them to a third party in Europe.

The report said that the seizure, comprising more than 300 blocks of heroin weighing more than 155kg as well as 52,000 methamphetamine tablets, were concealed inside bags of fertilizers.

Thai PBS reported that Deputy Commissioner of Region Four, Lieutenant-General Dechnarong Suthicharnbancha, said unofficial street value puts the amount at around 1.2 million Baht (RM119,206) per block of heroin.

"Should the drugs make its way to its final destination in European countries this value then increases a hundred folds.

“Under normal circumstances, authorities are reluctant to release the monetary value of the drugs as we do not want it to serve as an enticement for others to become drug mules or traffickers."

In the 2.30am bust, Nattaboon Burirat and his wife Onanong Keawkhao from Surat Thani province were trying to evade arrest when they approached a police checkpoint at the Loei Wangsai sub-district.

Policemen had asked to check the contents of the fertilizer bags they were carrying inside their car when they suddenly sped off.

The report added that police gave chase and the suspects, realising no possibility of escape, had disposed the fertilizer bags and parked their vehicle by the roadside before hiding at a nearby undergrowth.

They were eventually discovered and nabbed.

Police said the suspects later admitted that they have been transporting narcotics on many occasions mostly for a client in Hat Yai, in Songkhla province.

He said that recently, Thai police also made a major bust that yielded one million methamphetamine tablets.

Suthicharnbancha said upon leaving Loei, the drugs were usually transported to Petchabun province through Bangkok before heading to its final destination in the south.

Authorities believed that the drugs were to be sent to a Malaysian middleman before being finally being  transported to clients in Europe.

The officer also mentioned that the middleman was the key link between clients in Australia, Europe and USA, the report said.

- TMI