Thai authorities seize another 651kg of Malaysia-bound 'ice'

BANGKOK: A week after seizing 700kg of Malaysia-bound "Ice" (Crystal Methamphetamine) in Hatyai in connection with the arrest of two Malaysians, Thai authorities foiled another attempt to smuggle 651kg of the drug to the neighbouring country.
Provincial Police Regional 9 acting commander, Lt Gen Ronnasin Phusara said officers made the latest seizure estimated at 520 million Baht (RM66 million) in the Bangklum area near Hatyai three days ago.
"Much of drugs that were seized were meant to be smuggled to Malaysia which serves as transit point before the drugs were to be sent to other countries," he told the media here today.
Ronnasin said two local men believed to be drug couriers aged 29 and 37 were detained in the latest police operation.
The drugs, he said, originated from northern Thailand and belonged to a transnational drug syndicate known to the Thai police as "Phor Liang Tee".
The authorities through investigations and intelligence gathering, according to him, have identified at least 11 individuals linked to the "big" drug syndicate.
This latest seizure of 651kg of "Ice" and the 700kg of "Ice" on March 28, have brought the total amount of the party drug seized by Thai authorities in Hatyai over the past week to over 1.35 tonnes and estimated to be worth over one billion Baht (RM120 million).
Both shipments of the drug, according to Thai authorities, were heading to Malaysia.
The police investigators told Bernama that they had yet to ascertain whether the two cases were linked or masterminded by the same syndicate.
Following the arrest of the two Malaysians in connection with the seizure of 700kg of "Ice" last week, the Malaysian police sent three of its officers to Bangkok to question the suspects. — Bernama