More than 100,000 ecstasy pills have been smuggled from European countries into Thailand in the past six months, according to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) yesterday.
ONCB secretary-general Niyom Termsrisuk said the Airport Interdiction Taskforce (AITF) seized a total of 105,382 ecstasy pills, delivered from European countries, in 15 cases, and has 20 suspects. The latest seizures were made on Monday and Tuesday. The AITF found 4,835 pills were sent from Germany and implicated 11 Thais and foreigners in the Central Plains area, the North and the South, Mr Niyom said.
He said seven of total 15 seizures in the last six months have been sent from Germany, three from Portugal, two from France, and three from the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovenia.
Drug finds have expanded to more provinces than ever, he said, which means the drug gang may want to broaden its market.
Meanwhile, police arrested a 25-year-old man yesterday for possessing compressed cannabis in Bangkok's Sai Mai district. The suspect, Katawut Tatom, was caught with 13kg of marijuana during a police raid on his house.
Police launched the raid after a tip-off that Mr Katawut was allegedly selling illicit drugs to teenagers in Soi Phoem Sin in Din Daeng district and Saphan Mai in Sai Mai district. Police said they found the compressed cannabis packs had been hidden separately.
Mr Katawut said he bought the cannabis from his supplier in Pathum Thani for 3,500 baht per kilogramme and resold it at 5,000 baht each.