Anti-drug campaigner busted for ya ba, assets seized

Anti-drug campaigner busted for ya ba, assets seized

Police announce the seizure of 1.6 million speed pills and 10kg of crystal methamphetamine from a Chiang Mai woman whose van was stopped in Phrae on Thursday. (Photo from @Police5Thailand Facebook page)
Police announce the seizure of 1.6 million speed pills and 10kg of crystal methamphetamine from a Chiang Mai woman whose van was stopped in Phrae on Thursday. (Photo from @Police5Thailand Facebook page)

Police have seized assets worth 28 million baht from a Chiang Mai woman, known locally as an anti-drug campaigner, after finding an estimated 200 million baht worth of methamphetamines in her van.

The seized assets included two houses at estates in Saraphi district of Chiang Mai, a condominium unit in downtown Muang district, two indoor football fields in Doi Saket district, two other land plots in the province, a land plot in Kanchanaburi and five cars, Thai media reported on Saturday.

Kalyakorn Siriphattarasomboon, 34, of Saraphi district, was apprehended following a search of her van at the Huay Rai checkpoint in Den Chai district of Phrae province on Thursday.

The search found nine sacks containing 1.6 million speed pills and 10 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, and a 9mm pistol with 10 rounds of bullets in her van carrying Chiang Mai licence plates.

Pol Maj Gen Thararat Chumsawat, chief of the Phrae police, said on Friday that Ms Kalyakorn was travelling alone and observed to be acting suspiciously when she saw police manning the checkpoint. She allegedly offered some money to the officers, which prompted them to search her van.

Police said the woman confessed to having smuggled drugs on several occasions and that she acted alone. The seized drugs were destined for a dealer in Bangkok.

Police expanded their investigation and found the suspect had used money from the sale of drugs to buy land, houses and two indoor football fields. Her assets, worth about 28 million baht, are now being examined in more detail.

Ms Kalyakorn had launched an anti-drug campaign project in her home province and allowed children to use her football fields.

She had also spent some money to help cover the medical costs of sick children in Nan, Thai media reported.

Pol Maj Gen Panudet Boonruang, deputy chief of the Provincial Police Region 5, sent a team of psychologists to counsel the suspect’s two young sons at her house in Saraphi district. A neighbour has offered to take care of the boys.

Officers question Kalyakorn Siriphattarasomboon after drugs were found in her van in Phrae. (Supplied photo via Taweeporn Sukkasem)

Officers take sacks containing illicit drugs from the suspect’s van during a search at the Huay Rai checkpoint in Phrae on Dec 6. (Supplied photo via Taweeporn Sukkasem)

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