likes to eat Chinese dishes and have a few drinks afterwards. He smokes cigarettes occasionally but doesn't take drugs. Three or four women who live in the compound visit him in his room from time to time. Wei has not been doing much travelling lately. He left the Wa State only once last year, in July, when he stayed for about a week in southern Shan State. He met his younger brother Wei Hseuh-ying there and made inquiries about the border situation with Thailand.
He was also seen once at a casino in Tachilek, a town located opposite Thailand's Chiang Rai province. He was accompanied by three bodyguards. They all appeared relaxed. It was confirmed then that Wei hasn't had cosmetic surgery done on his face, as has been rumoured for years.
Only a few of their most trusted aides know when Wei or Bang Ron will depart from Pang Poi and where they will go. Before they go anywhere, an advance team armed with assault rifles and radios will check the route.
The motorcade consists of a lead vehicle _ a four-wheeled Japanese-made SUV full of security brandishing M-16 assault rifles and shotguns _ followed by a large black American-made bullet-proof Jeep that carries Wei and Bang Ron.
''They do not always travel together,'' said the source who couldn't identify the model used to carry Wei and Bang Ron but described it as a ''military style'' vehicle. The third car is another SUV with more security personnel. Sometimes the escort consists of four or five vehicles with security people.''
Wei bought the bullet-proof Jeep in China for 700,000 yuan (about 3.5 million baht). There are two more Jeeps like that in the Wa State, one of them used by Pau Yu Chang.
Wei and Bang Ron are always armed themselves, usually with shotguns made in the United States. Wei bought several of these from a Vietnamese drug gang. Their security people use bullets that will explode on impact. Wei prefers Russian or US-made weapons, while Pau likes Chinese-made.
''Wei and Bang Ron export drugs to other parts of Burma, as well as to Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. From there the drugs will be smuggled to other countries. Wei runs a well-oiled organisation and networks in those countries. People who are working for him are disciplined and have many resources and connections. He has his own smuggling routes and methods,'' said the source.
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