Chiang Rai Man Arrested for Smuggling Bt500 Million in Drug Money into Myanmar
Narcotics Suppression Police have arrested a Chiang Rai man for smuggling more than 500 million baht in drug money from Thailand to Myanmar using a courier service.
On Friday morning, Mr. Withaya Sae Ma, 24, was apprehended at his house in Moo 6 village of Tambon Mae Sai in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province.
According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Sarayut Sa-nguanphokhai, the chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said the suspect was a partner of a courier company used to smuggle drugs cash to Myanmar producers. There was a fee of 3,000 baht for each million baht smuggled into Myanmar by the courier service.
Over the past year, more than Bt500 million in cash had been taken out of the country this way, the commissioner said.
The arrest was a result of information from four suspects who were caught with 1.2 million methamphetamine pills on Dec 10 last year in the Muang district of Chiang Rai.
Mr. Withaya was one of 18 drug-related suspects arrested in multiple raids in 12 provinces on Friday morning.
US$41.4 Million Of Drug Trafficker’s Assets Seized in Chiang Rai
Policing Lt Gen Sarayut said 17 million meth pills, 585 kilograms of marijuana, 9.6 kilograms of heroin, and 24 kilograms of opium were seized, as well as assets believed to be acquired using drugs-related funds.
On Wednesday, Police have seized overUS$41 Million worth of assets during searches of three homes belonging to suspected drug traffickers in Chiang Rai province.
Two houses were searched by the Department of Special Investigation and local police in Mae Sai district’s tambon Wiang Phang Kham, and another one in Chiang Saen district’s tambon Pasak.
Deputy director of the Bureau of Consumer Crime Protection Tanin Prempree led the operation.
A large number of documents were seized at the three homes as part of the operation. The investigation uncovered approximately US$59 million worth of financial transactions.
A total of 246 bank accounts, 155 cars and motorcycles worth about US$3.9 million, and 232 land title deeds worth about US$37.5 million baht were also impounded. Mr. Tanin said the total value was about US$41.4 million.
