PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: A nurse and her boyfriend have been arrested and assets worth over 15 million baht seized for their involvement in the drug trade, following raids on two premises in Muang district.
A team of 30 local police, officials and defence volunteers searched a room in a block of nurses' flats on Maharat Road on Thursday night.
Pol Maj Gen Surasak Suksawaeng, the provincial police chief, sent a team to the premises after investigators were informed a major drug dealer had hidden some of his product inside a room in the building, which is owned by a hospital. Another team was sent to search a house on Suksomboon Road.
The watchers saw a woman in a nurse's uniform go from the second floor to a motorcycle below. She was carrying two plastic bags. They detained her and searched the bags, and found drugs.
The woman, identified Duangkamol Phisootsiang, 30, of Bang Saphan Noi district, is a nurse in the ICU section of a big hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Authorities found 21,000 speed pills, one kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine and 11 slabs of compressed marijuana in her room.
Matichon Online reported that Dr Supachai Supareuksakul, director of Prachuap Khiri Khan Hospital, and other hospital executives were present when the officers searched the nurse's room. (continues below)
Officers seized drugs and other evidence from two suspects following raids on a room in a block of nurses' flats and a house in Muang district, Prachuap Khiri Khan. (Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)
The second team searched a house at Phetaree 2 housing estate on Suksomboon Road in Muang district. They found 6,000 speed pills and 600 grammes of crystal methamphetamine.
House owner Ekkarat Saengarthituthai, 36, of Bang Saphan Noi district, Ms Duangkamol's boyfriend, was arrested.
Authorities seized a new Toyota Revo pickup truck, five mobile phones, computers, bank books and gold jewellery from the two suspects as evidence. The seized items had a combined worth of more than 15 million baht, according to police.
During interrogation, the pair allegedly confessed to selling drugs to customers in the province. The drugs were stored in the nurse’s room to divert police attention, because it is state property.
The suspects told police the drugs were sent to them by someone in Chiang Rai province. Their job was to deliver them to customers who placed orders.
Mr Ekkarat has a criminal record, having served a jail term on drug charges, and was released from prison late last year .
The suspects were held in custody at Muang police station on charges of having illicit drugs in their possession with intent to sell.
Police later searched hospital’s staff room and found 9,600 more speed pills and two bars of compressed marijuana hidden in a locker.
Prachuap Khiri Khan deputy governor Pirom Ninlaya and senior police briefed the media on the case.
They annunced that a total of 37,940 speed pills, 1.4kg of crystal methamphetamine and 15 one kilogramme bars of compressed marijuana, with a total street value around 7 million baht, were seized from the two suspects.
The arrested nurse withpolice at the staff room locker where another 9,600 speed pills and two bars of compressed marijuana were found. (Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)
Nurse Duangkamol Phisootsiang, 30; (right) and her boyfriend Ekkarat Saengarthituthai, 36, arrested on drug charges, at Muang police station, Prachuap Khiri Khan. (Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)