SAMUT PRAKAN: More than 100 motorcycle racers have been arrested and 118 modified motorcycles and 40 big bikes confiscated in the latest crackdown on <i>dek waen</i> street racing.
Officers from several police agencies took part in operations in several districts of the province adjoining Bangkok early Saturday to arrest the noisy racers.
A total of 106 racers — 27 teenagers and 79 adults — were apprehended, with 118 motorcycles and 40 big bikes seized. All underwent urine tests and three tested positive for illicit drug use, with small amounts of methamphetamine seized from them.
Two pistols were found in the possession of two racers, said Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, during a media briefing on Saturday.
The crackdown followed the arrest of Ekkasit Boonkamnerd, 18, who owns the “Danlo Samut Prakan” Facebook page. Created for motorcyclists who stage races on public streets in the province, the page also live-streams videos of the races. More than 100 racers took part in each event, said Pol Maj Gen Surachate.
To date, police have closed 91 Facebook pages promoting street racing and arrested 75 owners of the pages.
Officers examine some of the motorbikes seized during the latest crackdown on street racing in Samut Prakan. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)