Five suspects arrested as police dismantle major drug network with 87,000 meth pills seized
Five suspects were arrested as police dismantled a major drug trafficking network in Thailand.
Members of the 'Red Dragon Sung Noen' gang allegedly supplied meth pills to drug users across Nakhon Ratchasima province before authorities cracked down on the trafficking network.
The investigation began on October 12 when officers arrested Sakda Charoensungnoen, 31, at a rented room in the Sung Noen district, with six meth pills.
During questioning, Sakda reportedly told police he had obtained the drugs from Wichian Laksungnoen, 42, leading officers to track down the suspected supplier.
Police arrested Wichian the next day, near a 7-Eleven in the district's Makluea Kao area, where they seized 5,000 methamphetamine pills.
Officers continued tracing the drug chain and arrested Winai Wongsiri, 33, with a staggering 22,000 pills at a rented room in the district.
The last two suspects, Kitisak Chamnanklang, 36, and Mewiya Chomsungnoen, 34, were located at a hut in a coconut plantation in Ban Mueang Kao, where cops discovered a further 60,000 methamphetamine pills.
The five arrests brought the total seizure to 87,000 pills.
Investigators said the drug trade was linked to a wider network involving more than 20 people.
Police Major General Narongsak Phromtha, commander of the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police, announced the results of the crackdown in a press conference on October 16.
He said: 'The arrest team is expanding the investigation to track down and apprehend the key masterminds and remaining accomplices for legal proceedings.
‘The arrested suspects have been handed over to the inquiry officer at Sung Noen Police Station for further legal processing.'
Thailand has become a notorious hub for drug use, production, and trafficking. In the north of the country, the ‘Golden Triangle' area shares borders with Laos and Myanmar, and has produced large amounts of opium since the 1950s but focus in recent years has shifted to the more profitable methamphetamine.
Officials believe most of the meth is produced in the Shan State of Myanmar before being distributed through neighbouring countries where prices are higher before ending up in the most expensive markets of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.
However, cracking down on drug production has been complicated by the influx of crime gangs from China and the Burmese civil war, which has seen the army take over the country - along with control of lucrative drugs chains.
