Three members of an alleged drug network operated by a prison inmate have been arrested in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
The three suspects, two men and one woman, were identified as Somyos Sangseng, 25, from Surat Thani, and Theera Ruenphet, 49, and Anussara Chaiya, 32, both from Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Police seized 15,590 speed pills worth about 4.6 million baht, 25 rounds of ammunition, drug paraphernalia, four cars and more than 100,000 baht in cash from the suspects, Pol Col Ronnapong Saikaew, superintendent of Nakhon Si Thammarat police station, said.
He said a police investigation found the three suspects worked for a drug network operated by an inmate who had earlier been jailed at Nakhon Si Thammarat central prison.
The inmate, identified only as Ae, had later been moved to Bang Kwang central prison in Nonthaburi.
However, Ae was still dealing drugs from behind bars. He had ordered his gang to supply illicit drugs to the three suspects for delivery to customers in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, Pol Col Ronnapong said.
Mr Somyos allegedly confessed he was responsible for delivering drugs to network members in Nakhon Si Thammarat before being arrested.
Investigators said that Mr Somyos told them he used to deliver around 60,000 ya ba (methamphetamine) pills a night while Ms Anussara said she had received a phone call from a drug inmate at Bang Kwang central prison to buy drugs.
Police had earlier arrested Kanya Thavornwong, 32, in Nakhon Si Thammarat on the night of Feb 5. The woman had implicated the three suspects in the drug network.
Meanwhile in Songkhla province, police yesterday arrested a suspected drug gang in an apartment and seized a total of 222 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ya ice.
Pol Col Adirek Buraheng, superintendent of Hat Yai police station, said police had acted after a report of drug activity at the flat.
In the raid, officers arrested Sarawuth Nimnual and Patipol Panjasuwan, both aged 22, and found 47.5g of ya ice with a street value of 140,000 baht, two digital scales and equipment for administering drugs.
After questioning the two men, another suspect was arrested by an officer who posed as a buyer.
The suspect, who allegedly had 100 grammes of ya ice in his possession, was named as Pramote Konglab, 32.
Police later arrested a 17-year-old boy, who could not be identified, in connection with the drug gang with 24.5g of ya ice in his possession.
Mr Pramote allegedly confessed to police that he received the drugs from a drug network based in Songkhla central prison.
Police said they were able to seize an additional 50g of ya ice hidden in another apartment in Hat Yai after Mr Sarawuth made a confession.