Narcotics suppression police in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district have broke up a group involved in drug dealing near the Chiang Rai- Myanmar border.The arrest comes after police received a tip-off about a gang of five young men secretly selling methamphetamine.
Pol. Capt. Kritkorn Kanjina told reporters that officers started tracking the group and soon identified the main members identified as Natthapong Jabjai (Boy),Phakdee Supinna (Bank), Mee, Em, Muang, and Karn.
They were reportedly selling methamphetamine pills (ya-ba) to local youths in both Mae Sai and Koh Chang areas. The team also found out that these five were cross the border to pick up drugs from a village called Huay Din Dam, just across the Ruak River from Koh Chang.
They’d then smuggle the methamphetamine back into Chiang Rai for sale to Thai youth addicted to their drugs.
Pol. Capt. Kritkorn said two of the suspects had outstanding arrest warrants. Natthapong Jabjai (Boy), aged 31, and Phakdee Supinna (Bank), aged 34, both from Koh Chang, Chiang Rai. Police investigators found both men had crossed into Myanmar and were hiding in Huay Din Dam village, opposite Koh Chang.
The others—Em, Muang, Mee, and Karn—were also believed to be staying there.
Police later received a tip-off that Boy and Bank had secretly returned to Koh Chang to visit their families for Songkran. Capt. Kritkorn led officers to stake out their family homes. Early in the morning, undercover police officers saw Boy, wearing a green shirt, exit the home.
When the officers revealed themselves and asked to search, Boy didn’t resist and admitted defeat. Inside the the home, police found meth-smoking gear and 808 methamphetamine pills hidden in a cabinet.
Following his arrest, police tracked down and arrested Bank, at his family home. He was celebrating Songkran festivities when apprehended. Both suspects admitted they were on the run and had been selling methamphetamine pills to youths in Mae Sai and Chang Khong, as well as shipping drugs to other provinces by post.
They told police officers they would hide in Huay Din Dam village in Myanmar after each delivery, sometimes sneaking back to visit their families in Koh Chang before returning across the border.
The two were handed over to investigators at Chiang Rai’s Chang Khong Police Station for further action.
Chiang Rai, located near the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet, is a significant hub for drug smuggling, particularly methamphetamine, due to its porous borders and proximity to Myanmar’s Shan State, a major drug production area.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
