Samut Sakhon—
At 2:30 PM, on October 21st, 2023, Pol. Lt. Gen. Naiwat Phadermchit, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Police, and other relevant officials held a press conference on the results of the arrest of a drug trafficking network in Samut Sakhon with over 290,000 pills of amphetamines and 14 units of improvised firearms.
The police officers publicly revealed that at 1:45 PM, on October 19th, 2023, the Bang Torad police officers captured an alleged suspect who was publicly identified only as Mr. Arak, 41-years-old, with 44 pills of amphetamine at a car repair shop in Mueang Samut Sakhon, Samut Sakhon.
During a further investigation, there were found to be another three alleged suspects linked to Arak and the property in dispute, they were publicly identified only as Mr. Nay Lin Oo, a 21-year-old Myanmar national, Mr. Thananet, 36-years-old, and Mr. Wisanu, 36-years-old.
The police officers conducted a search of a coconut orchard at Wisanu’s residence in Ban Phaeo, Samut Sakhon, and discovered over 285,000 pills of amphetamine stashed in large white fertilizer sacks. Wisanu reportedly testified that another suspect , a Mr. Pai, asked him to keep the illicit substances at his residence in white sacks and he cooperated willingly in exchange for undisclosed financial compensation.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Naiwat revealed to Thai media about a further investigation regarding the issue of blank firearms on online platforms. The police officers were able to confiscate 6 illegal firearms in Samut Sakhon.
As for the arrest operation, Pol. Lt. Gen. Naiwat stated that the police squad had been investigating the case for more than 2-3 years. Furthermore, the relevant officials would continuously increase the intensity of investigations and arrests, especially on firearms in Thai and foreign nationals breaking Thai law.
