The Patrol and Special Operation Division unit, better known as the "191 Police", have seized more than 7 million methamphetamine pills in a crackdown against three major drug smuggling rings which operate out of Bangkok's adjacent provinces as well as Thon Buri district within the city proper.
In addition to the pills, 191 police officers also confiscated one kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine, a pistol with ammunition, seven cars, three motorcycles and cash totalling 3.7 million baht.
While the seizures indicate that the authorities are moving in the right direction, they also show that these areas are still being used as transit points for drug smugglers, where they store their stash while they wait for a chance to peddle the drugs -- the majority of which came from the North and/or the Northeast -- into inner Bangkok.
"Imagine if this huge drug haul successfully makes its way into inner Bangkok. What will happen to our kids?" said Pol Col Piyarat Suparatana, chief of the patrol unit of the Patrol and Special Operation Division.
"Without our eagle-eyed, cunning and intelligent officers, it would have been far more difficult to track down these gangs," he said.
Pol Col Piyarat said that while drug smugglers constantly change their tactics in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the authorities, their preference for using Bangkok's suburbs and its surrounding provinces as their temporary holding facility seems to have remained unchanged.
In the first crackdown, the 191 police received information about a key drug trafficker operating out of Bang Na in eastern Bangkok. The drug ring was led by Thananon Ekwaranon, 29, also known as "Non Bang Na".
Armed with sufficient information about the gang and its other key members, a sting was carried out at a department store on Bang Na-Trat Road. Mr Thananon was arrested along with Yachu Khalaku, 28, Saran Chitprapha, 29, and Natthawat Saengchu, 33.
A total of 240,000 methamphetamine pills were seized from the quartet, along with two cars and five mobile phones.
In the second operation, the police tracked down a drug network operating out of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani, and discovered that a house in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district was being used to store their cache, while they waited for the right moment to push the drugs through to users across inner Bangkok.
Police then raided the house and seized 1.4 million methamphetamine pills, before arresting Surachat Khuanbuppha, Somphop Khamchan, 20, Manat Sarabut, 30, and Sarayut Wongtom, 24, on Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi district.
The authorities seized 5.4 million methamphetamine pills and 876.8g of crystal methamphetamine, a pickup truck, van, four cars, three motorcycles and a 9mm pistol from these suspects.
The police are expanding their investigation into this particular drug smuggling ring as they believe at least 10 key members remain at large.
"Two members now live abroad and control the ring's operations remotely," said Pol Maj Gen Samran Nuanma, chief of the 191 Police.
The third raid was carried out on a smuggling ring operating out of Bangkok's Thon Buri district.
Nonthawat Phasuthawong, 19, the leader of this drug ring was arrested on May 5, following the detention of other members since the police began going after the drug gang's members late last year.
The probe into this drug ring began late last year when a police patrol unit spotted a suspicious looking van and ordered it to stop for a security screening on Phutthamonthon Sai 2 Road, but the van driver resisted the order and sped away.
That prompted a car chase, which ended with the van plunging into a canal after it turned into a dead-end soi.
The suspects escaped from the van before the police arrived at the scene.
Seized from the van were 1.5 million methamphetamine pills.
Police have identified the suspects as Thitirat Malaithong, 24, who was arrested on Dec 24 last year; Wiraphong Khongyai, 23, and Phongsakon Daengsuk, 23, who were arrested on March 14.
"A look into this drug ring's money trail found that more than 1.4 billion baht was moved from one gang member's account to another between March 15 and May 5 alone, in an effort to 'launder' the money," said Pol Col Piyarat.
"The Anti-Money Laundering Office and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau are also looking into this network."
Pol Maj Gen Samran said that the duties of 191 police extend beyond curbing drug trafficking, as it is also actively engaging communities across Bangkok and its surrounding areas.
"Prevention is also a key element of our work, as addiction can push users into a life of crime in order to sustain their habit," he said.
Pol Maj Gen Samran added that it is also important to engage local communities because information on a minor dealer could lead to the arrest of high-ranking members.
He called on members of the public with any information about the drug and/or illegal firearms trade to contact the 191 Police via its 191 hotline and/or through Facebook.