Bangkok: "Big Ran" has announced the successful crackdown on a nationwide drug network, resulting in the seizure of assets valued at over 460 million baht. The operation led to the arrest of more than 13,960 suspects linked to over 1,900 drug networks.
According to Thai News Agency, the announcement was made by Pol. Lt. Gen. Samran Nuanma, Assistant Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, alongside Pol. Lt. Col. Santi Chainiramai, Commander-in-Chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. The extensive operation, conducted from December 1 to January 17, was a collaborative effort involving Provincial Police Regions 1-9, the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. During this period, authorities sieged and searched 8,635 locations, handled 13,703 drug cases, issued 530 arrest warrants, and seized a significant amount of drugs and firearms.
The seized items included 47.78 million methamphetamine pills, 4 tons of crystal methamphetamine, 575 kg of ketamine, 192 kg of heroin, 2,763 ecstasy pills, 469 firearms, and assets totaling over 464 million baht. This operation was further supported by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, military officers, and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, led by Lt. Gen. Kan Sathityuthakan and Mr. Prin Mekhanan, who announced the expansion of investigations into two major drug trafficking networks.
Pol. Lt. Col. Chuti Charoenpak, deputy chief of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau Division 3, detailed the first major case involving collaboration with Taiwanese police in Thailand. The investigation led to the discovery of an international drug trafficking group planning to export a large quantity of drugs. On January 9, officers searched a warehouse in Samut Prakan Province, where they found 201 kg of crystal meth hidden in snack boxes and 225 kg of an unknown yellow liquid. Five suspects were arrested, all of whom confessed to being hired by a Taiwanese national to prepare drugs for distribution.
In another significant case, Pol. Col. Chaturaphat Phiromkaew, deputy commander of Narcotics Suppression Bureau 1, described how officers expanded their investigation into an international drug network smuggling drugs to Australia, Korea, and Taiwan. The operation, titled 'Suppressing International Drug Traffickers,' involved searches at 20 locations, resulting in the arrest of five suspects and the issuance of six arrest warrants.
During this operation, officers seized 40 bars of heroin weighing approximately 15 kg, 42.5 grams of ketamine, 26 grams of MDMA, 0.75 grams of ice, 1,000 methamphetamine pills, 41.5 grams of ecstasy, and assets worth around 35 million baht. The network had attempted to conceal drugs in various products, such as charcoal stoves, for shipment to destination countries via private shipping companies.