By Linda Khoo
BANGKOK, Nov 13 – Thai police have foiled an attempt to smuggle one tonne of ‘Ice’ worth RM50 million (350 million baht) into Malaysia, Thailand’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) said today.
Deputy NSB chief Lt Gen Pornchai Charoenwong said three suspects – two locals aged 21 and 22 and a Myanmar, 35, – were arrested at 4.30 am (local time) in Phichit Province, about 330km from Bangkok, on Nov 10.
Acting on a tip-off, police stopped a pickup truck driven by one of the suspects and upon inspection, found ‘Ice’ in hundreds of Chinese tea packets in a plastic bag in the vehicle, he said.
“The drugs are believed smuggled from a neighbouring country to Chiang Rai, northern Thailand and kept in store in Bang Pa-in District in Ayutthaya. Later, it would be transported to southern Thailand before being smuggled to Malaysia.
“We believe Malaysia is a transit point before the drugs are distributed to other countries,” he said at a press conference here today.
Pornchai said the suspects claimed they were promised of 100,000 baht per person to smuggle the drugs.
He added that the police are hunting down another two suspects, including the mastermind of the drug syndicate.
“The court will issue warrants for their arrest soon,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
