NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: Police who arrested a woman after finding nearly a million speed pills in her home brought more than handcuffs when they took her into custody. When they learned it was her birthday, they brought a cake.
Ratchanon Phongsawat, 37, burst into tears at the gesture and promised to turn over a new leaf after being released from jail.
Her arrest was one of two made in the southern province, in which more than 1.4 million methamphetamine pills were seized.
Police had been keeping a close watch on Ms Ratchanon, who also owns a spa in Phrommakhiri district, as they suspected she was linked to drug dealers.
On Thursday they followed her car and managed to intercept it on a road leading to Nakhon Si Thammarat airport.
They subsequently brought her to her rented home in Muang district, where they found 944,000 speed pills, police said at a media briefing on Friday.
During questioning, Ms Ratchanon admitted she was about to fly to Bangkok to stay with her mother after learning that other members of a drug network in Phuket, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat had been arrested.
The suspect admitted she had kept the drugs at the rented house pending delivery to other dealers, police said.
In Khanom district, meanwhile, police arrested Prachak Suksarn after 536,000 speed pills were found inside his house on the same day.
Police display more than 1.4 million speed pills seized in two separate cases in Nakhon Si Thammarat. (Photo: Nujaree Rakrun)