SUNGAI GOLOK: Less than two months after six Malaysians were arrested for allegedly possessing drugs, Thai police have arrested another Malaysian believed to be a drug trafficker.
Following the arrest of the 24-year-old suspect, Thai police believe that they have smashed a major drug syndicate.
Sungai Golok district police chief Colonel Jadsadavit Ingprapan said the Malaysian man was detained in a raid at a premises in Sungai Golok town on Monday.
Also seized in the 6.40pm (Malaysian time) operation were 1,943 Ecstasy pills, 1,510 Eramin 5 tablets, and other drug powders, worth more than RM120,000.
"Sungai Golok police want to publish a case of a major drug arrest. Last Monday, (Dec 30) the Narcotics team arrested one suspect who is a Malaysian national.
"Following the raid, we have seized Eramin 5 and Ecstasy pills as well as the drug powders.
"We believe the drugs were meant to be sold to addicts in Malaysia," he said in a statement today.
"Currently, investigation officers have also gathered information from witnesses, evidence, and results of drug testing as well as the criminal history from the Criminal History Registration Division in Sungai Golok," he added.
He said the accused would be taken into custody at Narathiwat Provincial Court.
He added that the Sungai Golok police would continue to enforce strict laws against offenders of drug cases without discrimination.
"We have recorded a number of arrests for drug-related cases every month and the drug offenders are both Thais and foreigners," he added.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Seri Khaw Kok Chin said the police Narcotics Nucleus Secretariat (SNN) is working with Thai authorities to gather more information regarding the arrest, including investigating the possibility that the drugs were intended for the domestic market.
"The man was arrested at a hotel in Sungai Golok for drug possession," he told Bernama.
Khaw added that investigations revealed the suspect was believed to have been actively involved in selling drugs in the Sungai Golok area.