Thai officials plan to travel to Malaysia to join in the questioning of a suspected major drug dealer with alleged links to a Lao drug kingpin, the chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) says.
NSB commissioner Pol Lt Gen Sommai Kongwisaisuk said the officials have made arrangements for the questioning of Kamarudin Bin Awang, who was arrested in Kelantan state on Feb 6 by Malaysian authorities.
Mr Kamarudin, who holds dual nationality, is thought to be involved with Lao drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha, who was detained at Suvarnabhumi airport on Jan 19 when he arrived on a flight from Phuket.
Mr Xaysana's arrest followed five years of investigation into a narcotics ring that smuggles drugs around Asean countries.
Pol Lt Gen Sommai said Thai officials have information that Mr Kamarudin is the son-in-law of Marining Jako, the leader of a drug network that receives narcotics from the North and Northeast of Thailand.
Mr Kamarudin is also suspected of having connections with Usaman Salaemaeng, wanted by Thai authorities on drug charges on a 2012 arrest warrant. Mr Usaman has been on the run.
However, Pol Lt Gen Sommai said police have yet to decide when to travel to Malaysia and declined to reveal the nature of their questions because Malaysian officials are still investigating.
He said the police probe into the Xaysana network is proceeding well and more progress is expected this week.
He said police plan to summon speed racer Akarakit Worarojchroendet for further questioning over a 20-million-baht Lamborghini which is suspected of being the property of the Xaysana network.
Mr Akarakit, 30, alias "Benz Racing", earlier told police he had borrowed 6 million baht in cash from Natthaphol "Boy" Nakkham, one of the suspects linked to Mr Xaysana, as a down payment for the Lamborghini.
Sirinya Sitdhichai, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said authorities will question Mr Natthaphol about the seized assets this week.
He said they will also question Mr Akarakit about him borrowing the money to pay for the luxury car, noting they need to see evidence to verify the purchase.
"Whether or not Mr Akarakit will be charged in connection with the drug network depends on facts. A charge of aiding a crime may be possible depending on the evidence. If he can provide proof to clear himself, then there will be no charge," he said.
Mr Sirinya said the ONCB has ordered an asset freeze of 12 items on the basis they are linked to drugs. It will take some time for officials to verify the origins of these assets and determine if they have been laundered.
A source close to the investigation said police are examining the financial transactions of Mr Akarakit which will take about two weeks to complete before he is called in for further questioning.
The source said Mr Xaysana and Mr Usaman are believed to have been involved in the drug trade with the ONCB offering a 2-million-baht reward for clues leading to Mr Usaman's arrest.