KHON KAEN -- A total of 2,148 suspects were arrested and large numbers of weapons and drugs seized by police in a crime sweep in 12 upper northeastern provinces ahead of Loy Krathong today.
Pol Maj Gen Jatupol Panraksa, acting commissioner of the Khon Kaen-base Provincial Police Region 4, said of the 2,148 suspects 206 were nabbed for illegal possession of weapons, 1,220 for drugs and 612 for illegal gambling. The other 110 were arrested under court warrants in various cases.
During the opertion, police seized 321 guns, two hand grenades, 74,710 methamphetamine pills, 27.5 kilogrammes of marijuana and 563 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, or ice.
Pol Maj Gen Jatupol said the crackdown was intended to reassure local people and tourists there would be law and order during the Loy Krathong Festival. Organisers of the festival in some localities had been asked to ban firecrackers and all kinds of sky lanterns, he added.