Police Gun Down Drug Suspect and Arrest 3 Others in Drug Raid

Police in northeastern Thailand have gunned down a 24 year-old man and arrested three others in a clash with police on Friday morning. Police seized 8000 meth pills and 200 grams of crystal meth.

A Buri Ram police spokesperson said 24 Thaweechai Songsee was killed by a gunshot wound to his body in a rice field in tambon Salaeng Thon of this district. The clash with police occurred at approximately 8.30am.

Officers found a handgun near Mr Thaweechai’s body and two cartridges in his pocket.

Three other suspects were caught, two men aged 20 and 25 and a 17-year-old girl, were arrested at the scene.

A bag left at the scene contained 8,000 meth pills and 200 grams of crystal meth. The three suspects were taken to a local police station for interrogation and legal action.

A police spokesperson said an investigation team had been sent to the area after receiving a tip-off that a drugs delivery was planned there. Upon arriving police discovered two cars found parked at the entrance of a path leading into some trees.

Officers noticed some people walking out from the bushes, one carrying a bag. When police confronted them, they dropped the bag and fled. Three were caught right away while two men fled.

Mr Thaweechai fled along another path to a paddy field and officers gave chase he fired a gun at them and police returned fire with a shotgun hitting the suspect in the chest killing him instantly.

the spokesperson said Mr Thaweechai had a prior criminal record for drug offences and weapons possession. He had been also been involved in attempted murder, according to police.

Meanwhile, authortites reported that Narcotics suppression police have seized 200 kilograms of crystal meth and 820 kilograms of marijuana in four separate drug raids. Twenty one people were arrested in four separate provinces.

The suspects were caught arrested Northern Thailand’s Lampang province and in Ayutthaya, Sakon Nakhon and Nong Bua Lam Phu provinces.

Investigators earlier learned the gang smuggled illicit drugs from the North to customers in the Central Plains. They were closely watched, leading to the arrest of the 21 suspects.

The investigation was being extended to bring in the other members of the drug trafficking gang.