SONGKHLA: Police arrested four men and seized 39 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, in Hat Yai city early on Wednesday.
Pol Maj Gen Damras Viriyakul, deputy chief of the Region 9 Provincial Police, said the operation was launched on a tip-off that a large quantity of drugs had been taken to room 207 at Chanapol Mansion in Soi 15, on Rattana-uthit road, in Hat Yai.
Two police teams were deployed - one team placed in a room opposite No.207 and the other waiting in a car below.
Shortly after midnight, a red MG car arrived at Chanapol Mansion and two men walked up to room 207. Police followed them into the room and found two cardboard boxes containing 39 1kg packages of crystal meth. The two men - Tolae Yila, 29, of Narathiwat, and Apichai Saleephol, 36, of Prachuap Khiri Khan - were detained.
With information from the two suspects, police proceeded to room 1023 in an adjacent condominium building, where they found 59.36 grammes of ice and arrested a third suspect - Thanisorn Phetnoi, 24, of Prachuap Khiri Khan.
A fourth member of the gang, Thongchai Salae, 31, of Narathiwat, was arrested later at Boonpueng Resort in Hat Yai district.
Pol Maj Gen Damras said the drugs had been smuggled to Hat Yai from Myanmar. They were to be delivered to Narathiwat for further distribution in Malaysia.
Police were extending the investigation.
Of the four suspects, Mr Tolae was wanted under two arrest warrants on drug charges, and Mr Apichai was released from Prachuap Khiri Khan prison two months ago after serving two years and 10 months for drug offences.