Xaysana, two others, plead not guilty in court

Xaysana, two others, plead not guilty in court

Xaysana Keopimpha arrives at the Criminal Court in April from the Central Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts, where he is being held. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Xaysana Keopimpha arrives at the Criminal Court in April from the Central Correctional Institution for Drug Addicts, where he is being held. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Alleged Lao drug lord Xaysana Keopimpha and two co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of collusion in the smuggling of methamphetamine into Thailand when they were arraigned in the Criminal Court on Monday morning.

It is the second indictment brought against Mr Xaysana following his arrest at Suvarnabhumi airport on arrival from Phuket early this year.

On July 26, Mr Xaysana and alleged accomplices Chumphon Phanomprai and Ratchapol Ratsahapolpakorn were charged by prosecutors with the smuggling of 2.38 million methamphetamine pills for distribution.

The charges involve multiple activities from July 2015 to December 2016, when the three defendants allegedly trafficked the drugs from Laos to Thailand via Nakhon Phanom, and then distributed them.

According to the charges, the three accused divided the work. Mr Xaysana and Mr Chumphon were responsible for acquiring pickup trucks for use in drug deliveries and for procuring 2.38 million speed pills from Laos with help from Mr Xayasa's network there, and Mr Ratchapol for deliveries.

The pills were hidden in modified pickups which were used to deliver them to the southern region for smuggling to Malaysia for delivery. The prosecution claims to have evidence showing Mr Ratchapol received payment in the equivalent of 114 million baht from a client in Malaysia.

The three men denied the allegations during the police investigation, according to the prosecution.

The charges were read out in the Criminal Court on Monday. The three accused denied them all, entering pleas of not guilty.

The defendants said they would find their own lawyers. The prosecution opposed bail, deeming the men flight risks. They continue to be held in custody.

The court set Sept 25 for the pretrial examination of evidence and witness lists.

In the earlier indictment, in April, Mr Xaysana and six other alleged accomplices, who remain at large, were charged with operating a network to smuggle 1.2 million methamphetamine pills into Thailand from Laos through the Nong Khai checkpoint on Sept 30, 2016. He entered a plea of not guilty.

In this case the court has scheduled the first hearing of prosecution witnessses in February next year.

The alleged Lao drug lord was arrested on Jan 19 at Suvarnabhumi airport after arriving from Phuket. His arrest triggered a series of raids and arrests of people suspected of involvement in his transnational drug smuggling network.

One of them is Akarakit "Benz Racing" Worarojcharoendet, husband of TV actress Napapa "Patt" Tantrakul, who faces a charge of conspiring to launder drug money.

Mr Akarakit is also facing charges after police found him unable to properly explain how he had acquired several  luxury vehicles  - a Lamborghini Gallardo, a KTM 1290 Super Duke motorbike and a BMW motorcycle.

Police said income from his bike accessories shop was not enough for him to afford the 20-million-baht Lamborghini, which they believed was acquired with money from the alleged Lao drug lord's network. 

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