Thai police step up drug crackdowns during Songkran festival

Thai police step up drug crackdowns during Songkran festival (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Bangkok (VNA) – Thai anti-narcotics police have seized large quantities of drugs and arrested 15 suspects in operations in northern and northeastern provinces between March 28 and April 4.

According to Pol Gen Chinnapat Sarasin, national deputy police chief, the 15 suspects have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. They are members of six drug trafficking networks, responsible for smuggling illegal narcotics from the North and Northeast to central and Thai southern provinces.

He said that most of the drugs were concealed in cars and, in practice, police cannot search every car and focus instead on those about which they have received information or tip-offs.

Chinnapat added that police have been instructed to be more vigilant and increase searches of cars during the Songkran festival, noting that drug traffickers commonly seize the opportunity to step up their trafficking activities, as he urged motorists to have patience with any inconvenience caused by increased searches.

The seized drugs included 12kg of heroin, 9kg of crystal meth and 2kg of ketamine. Several vehicles were also confiscated./.