The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has seized assets worth about 25 million baht and arrested a major drug suspect, Niphon Chamroen, following a four-year investigation.
Niphon Chamroen, in the checked shirt, at a press conference at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board in Bangkok on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of the ONCB)
ONCB secretary-general Permpong Chavalit said on Wednesday that his office had tracked Mr Niphon's activities since October 2010. The found out that he acquired illegal drugs from the North and Bangkok for sale in the southern provinces including the restive border provinces.
The suspect was also a known gunman and was wanted for many other offences including robbery in Satun province and the illegal possession of war weapons and ammunition.
ONCB investigators recently learned that Mr Niphon was hiding at his three wives' houses in Pathum Thani province and had also recently bought land for rubber and palm plantations in Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi province.
He was arrested at a shopping centre, Mr Permpong said.
ONCB officials then searched Mr Niphon's house in the Pattreeda Place housing estate in Pathum Thani and found ammunition and crystal methamphetamine in his bedroom. Subsequent searches at seven other locations linked to the suspect in four provinces resulted in the seized of assets worth 25 million baht for further examination.
These assets included detached houses in Pattreeda Place and Pattreeda Villa housing estates in Pathum Thani, a room at the Champs Elysees condominium in Nonthaburi province, a 54 rai block of land (86,400 square metres) in Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi, automobiles, farming equipment and 1.1 million baht held in bank accounts.
Mr Niphon was believed to be a key drug trafficker and gunman in the southern border provinces, Mr Permpong said.