Thailand’s NSB thwarts several attemps to smuggle large amount of drugs into Malaysia

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Thailand’s anti narcotics police scored major success recently when it seized large amount of drugs and thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to use neighbouring Malaysia as transit country to export drugs. – Bernama photo

BANGKOK: Thailand’s anti narcotics police scored major success recently when it seized large amount of drugs and thwarted attempts by drug syndicates to use neighbouring Malaysia as transit country to export drugs.

In recent anti-narcotic operations, the country’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) and the police seized millions of ‘yaba’ (syabu) and ‘ice’ (crystal methaphetamine) tablets, heroin and nearly a tonne of marijuana heading to Malaysia.

According to NSB head Lt Gen Sommai Kongvisaisuk, two days ago his men seized 10 million methaphetamine tablets and 100 heroin bars weighing 37kg from a pickup truck transporting chicken manure fertiliser in Sukhotai, upper central Thailand.

“All the drugs would be smuggled into Malaysia,” he told conference at NSB’s headquarters here yesterday, adding that the drugs were hidden inside sacks of the smelly chicken manure fertiliser.

From Malaysia, which serve as the syndicate’s transit country, the drugs, which NSB valued at 2.037 billion Baht (about RM254 million) would be smuggled to other undetermined countries where its prices could quadrupled, said Sommai.

NSB’s head of interdiction division Maj Gen Dussadee Choosankij who headed the operation said the authorities received intelligence information about the drug-laden pickup truck in Sukhotai travelling to southern Thailand.

“We need to put the pickup truck under an x-ray machine before we could find all the hidden drugs,” he revealed.

Four men were nabbed during the operation, he said, adding that the suspects had since confessed to undertaking similar journey to southern Thailand to transport drugs before.

During the media conference, the NSB confirmed the 917kg of marijuana they seized from another pickup truck in Udon Thani province, northeast Thailand near Laos few days ago were also destined for Malaysia where the drugs would likely be repackaged and smuggled to a third country.

“The suspects (five men and a woman arrested in the operation) also confessed they had send drugs to southern Thailand several times before this,” said NSB northeast commander Mej Gen Yingyos Thepjamnong, who was also present during the function.

The seized marijuana were valued at 4.585 million Baht (RM573,000), said Dussadee, adding that NSB were in the midst of tracking down several members of the syndicate, believed to be based in Laos and Malaysia.

Meanwhile Satun’s police in southern Thailand received a report from public about the discovery of an abandoned pickup truck inside a rubber estate.

According to Manan District’s Police Chief Col Pitak Phutawirod, upon closer inspection on the pickup truck, police found 300kg of ‘ice’ which they strongly suspected were about to be smuggled into Malaysia.

The southern Thailand’s province of Satun is located near to Perlis. — Bernama