The officers apprehended five suspects, four men and one woman, starting at 5pm last Saturday when officers arrested Annopa “Muek” Nakhet, 22, and Thanathorn “Fluke” Khiew-in chan, 22, at Wichit Nom Klao Rd in Phuket Town.
The pair were found in possession of 21.1 grammes of crystal meth (ya ice), Mr Danai explained.
Both men were charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, he added.
At 9:40pm that night, officers arrested Praerawee ‘Prae’ Songnam, 27, in Soi Paneang 1, Rassada. She was found with just 0.9g of ya ice, but was also charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Mr Danai said.
The next day (May 10) officers arrested Warodom “Arm” Niranwirote and Watsana “Kus” Trirattanakorn, both 18, in Anuphas Phuket Kan Rd Soi 9 in Phuket Town at 6:30pm.
The teenagers were found with 100.2g of ya ice, Mr Danai said.
Warodom and Watsana were both charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, he added.
All five suspects were charged at Phuket City Police Station, Mr Danai said.
News of the five arrests came as Border Patrol Police announced that they had arrested two drug suspects, also last Saturday (May 9).
Capt Amphon Samothai of Border Patrol Police Company 425 reported that his officers had been informed that Santi “Ood” Linanon had been selling drugs to teenagers in Phuket’s Muang District and that he carried drugs with him.
Officers on Saturday followed Santi and Chanapai ‘Sam’ Thanapatpanyaphon, 40, originally from Samut Prakan, to where they parked their vehicle/s (not defined in report) in front of a shop near Nimit Circle (also called the Seahorse Circle) in Phuket Town at about 10am
The officers presented themselves and searched the men, but found no drugs.
However, for some reason, according to Capt Amphon’s report, both Santi and Chanapai admitted to the officers that they used drugs.
“Then officers detained them for further investigation,” Capt Amphon said in his report.
While in custody, Santi apparently admitted that he had hidden drugs at his home. A subsequent search of his accommodation found 7.62g of ya ice, Capt Amphon reported.
Santi was then taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Capt Amphon noted.
During questioning, Santi told police that he bought the drugs from Chanapai, Capt Amphon also reported.
Chanapai then admitted that he had given the ya ice to Santi.
“He said he had drugs in his own room at one of the condominiums on Phra Phuket Kaew Rd, Kathu. Officers searched the room and found 146.6g of ya ice, a digital scale and drug equipment,” Capt Amphon said in his report.
Chanapai also told police that he had ordered the drugs from a “Mr Dun” or a “Mr Ball” in Bangkok, who had the drugs delivered by a private transportation company, Capt Amphon said.
Chanapai was taken to Kathu Police Station, where he was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Capt Amphon noted.
Border Patrol Police in Phuket, where the only land crossing border is at the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai, are often involved in drug arrests on the island and appear to operate independently.
However, Border Patrol Police Lance-Corporal Jakkrit Sangsaart, 23, from Chachoengsao, assigned with Company 425, was charged with shooting dead Theerasak Sae-Ong on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd near Saphan Hin at about 3:30am on Jan 19 last year.
Mr Theerasak was the 30-year-old son of Rassada Municipality councillor Charoen Sae-Ong.
Jakkrit presented himself at Wichit Police Station late the next day and initially denied the murder charge against him.
Nearly a week later, on Jan 26, Pol Col Nikorn Somsuk, Wichit Police Chief at the time, confirmed that Jakkrit had admitted to the murder charge and to a charge of carrying a firearm in public without a permit.
Of note, the victim Mr Theerasak had a bullet wound on his left temple and an exit wound on his right temple. Police initially reported finding at the scene seven bullet casings, but no firearms were reported as found.
No further details about the slaying, including what sentence was handed down to Jakkrit for the murder, have been made public.