CAMBODIAN MAN ARRESTED WITH OVER 2000 PILLS CONCEALED IN FLIP-FLOPS

Updated: [November 11, 2009 ]
Pattaya Daily News

Navy officers from the Sattahip region have arrested a Cambodian national in possession of over 2000 pills of the class-1 drug Ya-Ba on Tuesday. The navy officers were acting off a tip given to them by Frontier Border Patrol officers from the crossing at Baan Laem, Janthaburi.

Sattahip, the 10th of November, 2009 (PDN): Navy Major General Reungrit Bunsongprasert from the Sattahip Navy Center, along with an extraordinary joint force team of over 10 officers came together in an effort to rid the area of a major drug dealer. The brief was to set up a meet with the dealer under the pretence of doing a deal, were subsequently the arrest would be made and information gathered on his accomplices. It was known to officers that the Cambodian man had been smuggling the drugs across the Thai-Cambodian border at the crossing of Baan Laem in Janthaburi.

After an extensive investigation it was discovered that two Cambodian nationals a Mr Wanna Leng age 34 (already apprehended, for selling drugs) and a Mr Long Wannark age 27, where being used to deal drugs in the Sattahip area by a third man, known only as Mr Nad age 40. Mr Nad is believed to have come across the border at Janthaburi with a large quantity of the class-1 drug Ya-Ba, (over 2,000 pills). It was also discovered that Mr Long Wannark had been selling the drugs off to smaller Thai dealers in the Sattahip area, so the joint taskforce decided to act.

Undercover officers set-up an appointment to meet Mr Nad out the front of the Nok Yang karaoke bar on the corner of Sukhumvit and Soi Sukhumvit 13 roads, Sattahip. At the meet officers noticed a black Volvo (unknown plates) dropping off a man now known to be Mr Long Wannark the dealer used by Mr Nad. Officers quickly gave the signal to the hidden force that he was the target. After a brief chase Mr Long Wannark was apprehended with 2,120 orange Ya-Ba pills and a further 20 green Ya-Ba pills all contained within the soles of his flip-flops, Mr Nad did not appear at the scene.

After extensive interrogation Mr. Long Wannark declared that he was employed by Mr. Nad - a major drug dealer in the region of Janthaburi - to deliver over 2,000 amphetamines in the area of Sattahip. The agreed amount for Mr Long Wannark’s services was 20,000 Baht. Mr. Wannark further declared that he had performed a similar service for Mr Nad on one other occasion without managing to be apprehended. Mr Wanna Leng had previously divulged to officers that the drug deals usually consisted of over 2000 pills at between 120-150 Baht each (240,000 – 300,000 baht total cost). In order to receive delivery of the drugs the smaller Thai dealers needed to place an amount of money in the region of 200,000 baht into Mr Nad’s account, bringing the remainder of the money to the meet where the exchange would take place.

Navy Major General Reungrit Bunsongprasert stated that the problem of illegal Cambodian drug dealers in the Sattahip area was becoming an increasing problem. The smaller Thai drug dealers preferred to do business with the Cambodians over their Thai counterparts due to the product being sold at nearly half the price for the same amount. The two Cambodian’s arrested have been charged with supply and possession of a Class-1 drug and remain in custody awaiting trail. Mr Nad’s whereabouts are as yet unknown. The joint taskforce is continuing to investigate the situation in an attempt to eradicate the Cambodian drug influence in the Sattahip area.