Husband and wife arrested in huge drug haul
METROPOLITAN Police Bureau announced a huge drug haul and the arrest of a couple they had been tracking for some time last Friday August 25.
At 430 pm on that day Metropolitan Police Bureau Chief Pol.Lt.Gen Sanit Mahathavorn, Division 8 Commander Pol.Maj.Gen. Samrit Tongtao and Superintendent Pol.Col. Prasong Arnmanee told the press that the Samut Prakran couple, 21-year-old Pakapong (Tar) Kotuken and 29-year-old Mayuree (Gik) Iamsaard, were arrested and 576,000 amphetamine tablets, 4,770 kilograms of Ice drug, two cars and three mobile phones were seized form them with this being worth 62 million baht overall.
The arrest was made at the couple’s rented house number 19/51 in Soi Village 1, Bangplee Yai sub-district, Bangplee district, Samut Prakarn
Pol.Lt.Gen Sanit said that this arrest is the result of the previous August 9 arrest made by the Metropolitan Police Division 9 of 21-year-old Teerawat (Tee) and 41-year-old Danai (Nai) Kuwanon and seizure of 140,000 amphetamine tablets and 9.2 kilograms of Ice drug.
He learned from investigation that another huge lot of illegal substances from a neighboring country was smuggled and kept at a rented house in Samut Prakan, so he ordered a close follow up of this case.
Information gathered had confirmed that the two suspects were the actual keepers and distributors for a drug cartel which eventually led to the announced arrest.
Pol. Col. Prasong revealed that he had assigned Division 8 Investigation Deputy Superintendent Pol.Lt.Col. Wichai Sonnakul and Pol.Lt.Col. Wathit Rojanapaitool to arrange monitoring teams, taking turns in keeping a close watch on this unregistered husband-wife team.
It took the police almost half a month to discover and confirm that the two rented a house in Bangplee to hide a large amount of narcotic drugs.
Police used the opportunity when the two were loading all the evidence from within the house onto their vehicle to search and arrest them right in front of the rented house.
“From the investigation, both suspects admitted that they have no proper careers and had successfully delivered narcotic drugs for an agent called Champ (real name unknown) once.
“On their first run, they drove to pick up the drugs from a roadside in Ayutthaya province and kept them for a while before discarding them onto a street side in Samut Prakan after which they got their 200,000 baht wage.
“This time they went to pick up the drugs left on roadside of Bang Bo district, Samut Prakan province, and keep them in the house to wait for instructions on the next dropping point.
“They were loading the drugs onto the vehicle after Mr. Champ had just called and told them the next dropping point when the police showed up and arrested them. They were initially charged with possession and distribution of amphetamine and this arrest will be used to track down and capture Mr. Champ”, said Pol. Col. Prasong.
CAPTION:
Top: Police at the house where the large amount of drugs was seized last week. Photo: Khaosod.co.th
By Piboon Awasdaruharote
Comments
