Touring 'family' arrested with B35m worth of meth pills

Touring 'family' arrested with B35m worth of meth pills

A total of 710,000 speed pills in plastic-wrapped packages were found hidden in secret compartments in this van in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district. Seven people posing as a family on tour were arrested. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)
A total of 710,000 speed pills in plastic-wrapped packages were found hidden in secret compartments in this van in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district. Seven people posing as a family on tour were arrested. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

NARATHIWAT: Seven people posing as a family on tour were arrested near the border in Sungai Kolok district after methamphetamine valued at over 35 million baht was found hidden inside the van they had travelled in from the Central Plains.

The six men and one woman were found to have 710,000 speed pills, worth about 35.5 million baht, in their possesssion.

They were travelling in a van with Bangkok licence plates. Police also seized eight mobile phones and one ATM card as evidence, Pol Lt Gen Ronnasil Phusara, commander of Provincial Police Region 9, told a media briefing on Thursday.

The suspects were  identified as: Ma-ae Hayeesama-ae, 22, of Pattani’s Nong Chik district; Saifulor Kajae, 24, of Yala’s Yaha; Sa-aree Wado, 38, of Narathiwat’s Rueso; Saroj Jaeyalee, 42, of Pattani’s Mayo; Supiyang Kajae, 18, of Yala’s Yaha; Usaman Porkaday,27, of Rueso district; and Ms Sofa Bueraheng, 30, of Rueso district. They were charged with colluding in possession of illicit drugs with intent to sell. (continues below) 

Officers search the van and find many packages containing meth pills inside hidden compartments. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

Arresting police were acting on information that a large quantity of drugs would be smuggled from the Central Plains to the deep South by people posing as a family on tour in a van.

Teams of police, soldiers and local officials were assigned to  keep a close watch along possible transit routes on Nov 26.

One team spotted the suspected van and followed it. When it stopped in front of a house on Prachawiwat Road in Sungai Kolok district, the officers asked to search it. They found the methamphetamine inside hidden compartments built into the van.

Photo by Assawin Pakkawan

The seven suspects, beside the van the "family" was travelling in, in front of the house in Narathiwat where they were arrested on Nov 26. (Photo by Assawin Pakkawan)

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