NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A man, 39, was arrested in Thung Song district of this southern Thai province with an assault rifle, 95 bullets, and 111 speed pills. Police believe the man is a major drug dealer.
Pol Lt Col Jaratchote Boonplong, investigative chief at the Thung Song police station, said the suspect, identified only as Pairat, was arrested at a rented house in tambon Pak Phraek on Saturday night.
There police found an M16 assault rifle, 95 5.56mm bullets, 111 methamphetamine pills and three mobile phones.
Pol Lt Col Jaratchote said that the man had been in the illicit drug business for a long time. Detectives suspected him of selling speed pills in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, his native province.
The suspect was quoted as saying that he usually ordered 20,000 speed pills at a time for resale.
Police were checking the source of the assault rifle and the bullets and looking for other drug-trafficking suspects in the same network as Mr Pairat.