A doctor at Police General Hospital has been arrested on charges of illegally procuring 15 million baht worth of the sedative alprazolam from the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The suspect was arrested on Tuesday at her residence in connection with large amounts of alprazolam found in her police flat in Bangkok, said Pol Gen Suchart Theerasawat, deputy head of an anti-narcotics working group at the Ministry of Public Health.
He said the woman, identified as Pol Col Dr Anchulee Phetrat, was among four suspects arrested in the same case. They included a man who lived in and dealt drugs from the doctor’s police flat on Phetchaburi Soi 6 in Phaya Thai district.
Officials are checking to see if any other doctors or healthcare workers might be involved.
Dr Withid Sareddeechaikool, the FDA deputy secretary-general, said the doctor had ordered alprazolam worth 15 million baht in total from the agency since 2022. The FDA began to suspect the orders and asked police to investigate.
Investigators found that the doctor used dead patients’ names to acquire alprazolam and then sold it to at least 11 clinics, generating up to 80 million baht in income, officials said. One of the clinics was raided earlier, they added.
Alprazolam is a psychotropic substance used for anxiety treatment. Sold under the Xanax brand name and others, it is one of the most widely prescribed psychiatric drugs.
In Thailand, alprazolam is often abused for recreational consumption with cough syrup and kratom leaf juice. Cases of alprazolam being used as a “date rape” drug in women’s drinks in nightspots have also been reported.
The FDA prohibits the production, sale, import and export of alprazolam unless done by the Ministry of Public Health Ministry or parties authorised by the ministry.
Violators can face a jail term of five to 20 years and/or a fine of 100,000 to 400,000 baht. Those possessing the drug must have the relevant licences.
