Police arrest Nigerian, 3 Thais in latest drug bust

27 Mar 2018 at 04:00 2 comments
NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS | WRITER: POST REPORTERS

Police nabbed a Nigerian and three Thai drug suspects, and seized assets worth more than 16 million baht in the latest crackdown on a transnational crime network.

A raid on the house of one Thai suspect alone -- identified as Hathailak Sinthukut -- resulted in the seizure of up to 11.6 million baht in assets even though the 28-year-old woman did not have regular work, Tourism Police Bureau deputy commissioner Surachate Hakparn said yesterday.

The assets, included two houses, gold items, land title deeds and three cars, were confiscated, along with more than 2,000 ecstasy pills, 300 grammes of crystal methamphetamine and 20 packs of marijuana.

Pol Maj Gen Surachate defined the last item as A-grade marijuana imported from overseas. Investigators said the marijuana was often sold to customers in Bangkok and in Pattaya.

Investigators were examining Ms Hathailak's bank accounts to track money trails and transactions, hoping to get new clues in the hunt for more suspects.

Pol Maj Gen Surachate also planned to ask officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Office to conduct a joint investigation.

The investigators suspect parts of the gang's assets may have been laundered to avoid detection.

Ms Hathailak, along with two Thai fellows, worked for Nigerian national, Onyenekwu Chukwuka Kingsley, 29, who received drugs from a major supplier in another country, according to police investigators.

The Nigerian was arrested on Sunday at a Big C hypermarket in the Rat Burana area, a day after the arrest of Ms Hathailak and another female suspect, Sirinda Khamprathueang, 20, in Nonthaburi.

The two women were arrested in a sting operation in which they were lured into selling 50 methamphetamine pills to a police informant.

The operation followed the arrest of another Thai suspect Sutthiman Samankaeo. The 29-year-old was arrested at Metro Park in the Phasicharoen area last Friday.

All four suspects admitted to selling drugs for more than two years, said Pol Col Sombun Thiankhao, of the city's Patrol and Special Operation Division.

According to investigators, Mr Kingsley gave the drugs to Ms Hathailak in Samut Prakan. Ms Hathailak then hired Ms Sirinda to deliver the drugs to customers. She received 9,000 baht for each delivery.

Their customers were well-to-do people who bought ecstasy pills, also known as yae, and crystal methamphetamine, or ya ice, at night entertainment venues, police said.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/1435610/police-arrest-nigerian-3-thais-in-latest-drug-bust