Alleged drug lord Lao Ta and gang to fight charges in court

Alleged drug lord Lao Ta and gang to fight charges in court

Lao Ta Saenlee (dark shirt, seated left chair) and his gang at a media briefing organised by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau after they were arrested at his petrol station in Mae Ai district in Chiang Mai on Oct 11, 2016. And the evidence. (Narcotics Suppression Bureau photo)
Lao Ta Saenlee (dark shirt, seated left chair) and his gang at a media briefing organised by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau after they were arrested at his petrol station in Mae Ai district in Chiang Mai on Oct 11, 2016. And the evidence. (Narcotics Suppression Bureau photo)

Accused drugs lord Lao Ta Saenlee and four other defendants rejected all charges against them when they were arraigned in court on Friday, retracting alleged confessions made under questioning.

Prosecutors indicted Mr Lao Ta, his wife Asama, his son Wichan and two other suspects in the Criminal Court on charges of drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession.

The other two are Rapeekarn Phobpetchalak and Baramee Kuarkul.

Mr Lao Ta, 76, and his 66-year-old wife allegedly earlier confesed during questioning they had drugs in their possession for sale, while his 40-year-old son had admitted only to having a pistol, according to a statement presented to the court by the prosecutors.

Mrs Rapeekarn, 56, and Mr Baramee, 37, denied all allegations during questioning.

The five defendants announced they would fight the case after the charges were read out to them in court. They rejected the charges and declared themselves not guilty.

The court set March 13 for a pre-trial hearing to examine lists of proposed witnesses and evidence.

The five defendants were arrested at tambon Thaton in Mae Ai district in Chiang Mai in October in an operation led by Narcotics Suppression Bureau police. Police and soldiers followed that up with the seizure of assets worth around 40 million baht.

Mr Lao Ta and his gang were caught in a police sting. Plainclothes police approached them, offering to pay 11 million baht for crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice. They were apprehended, allegedly making a delivery, at Lao Ta Petroleum petrol station, owned by the defendant.

Mr Lao Ta has beaten a previous drug case in the courts.  In 2007 the Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the two lower courts, which dismissed a case against him for lack of evidence. (continues below)

Lao Ta Saenlee at his coffee house at his village in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai, in 2011. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

Mr Lao Ta has started Lao up Ta Coffee, a coffee house, in his home village at Ban Huay Sarn and other businesses, including a petrol station, in the district since then. In 2011, he boasted about starting a franchise of Lao Ta Coffee across the northern region, but authorities still suspect he had links to the drugs trade.

He became infamous for his alleged association with heroin and later methamphetamine trafficking.

Mr Lao Ta, Mr Wichan and Mr Baramee are being detained at the Central Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts in Chatuchak district in Bangkok. His wife and Mrs Rapeekarn are in the women's section of the prison.

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