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Top officials linked to drug ring
- Subject: Top officials linked to drug ring
- From: suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 18:53:00
Headlines
Top officials linked to
drug ring
A fugitive accused of leading a major
amphetamines syndicate is the key to a lot
of stunning secrets. Preecha Sa-ardsorn
reports.
DESPITE the intensive manhunt for him
following a high-profile shootout with with
police, Surachai ''Bang Ron''
Ngernthongfoo has disappeared into thin
air.
Investigators suspect that Surachai, wanted
in connection with amphetamine trafficking,
is on the run both from the law and his
fellow traffickers who belong to one of the
country's top 10 drugs syndicates.
If caught, Surachai could unmask one of the
most powerful of the many amphetamine
production and trafficking gangs, which is
said to include hundreds of influential
civilians, police and military officers,
including at least two Army major generals.
One key investigator speculated that
Surachai fears being apprehended by the
syndicate members more than being
nabbed by the police.
In the latest discovery, Police Assistant
Commissioner-General Nopadol
Somboonsap said investigators had
uncovered evidence of a Bt9-million bank
transfer from Surachai to a major general
''Ch'' who is currently attached to the
Supreme Command Headquarters.
Nopadol, a veteran of the drug squad,
revealed that the investigators view such
financial connections as evidence of how
widespread the network of Surachai's
amphetamine ring actually is.
Although Surachai expanded his illicit
activities into the formidable drug ring more
than three years ago, he only came into the
limelight following the shoot-out with police
on Oct 15.
In a pre-dawn raid, drugs police, who were
staked out all night at Surachai's residence
in Nong Chok, tried to pursue a pick-up
truck which was believed to be transporting
amphetamines before it disappeared into
the high security compound.
Gang members put up stiff resistance,
exchanging fire and throwing three
grenades at police. The gun fight left three
policemen injured while a gang member
was shot dead.
Surachai, an unidentified relative and aide
Yossapan Suksawai managed to escape
while three gang members, Koded
Suksawai, Prasart Sukkho and Wongkrod
Kasemsak, were arrested.
Police were initially puzzled as to why
several highly-trained dogs had failed to
uncover the amphetamine cache. Some
hours later they found 758,000
amphetamine tablets hidden under bear
cages, the odor masked by bear urine and
excreta.
They also discovered Bt1.3 million in cash
and records of contacts, trafficking
activities and other business transactions
kept in a safe.
The evidence uncovered indicated that
Surachai was an astute drug kingpin who
spread his wealth around generously to win
cooperation from local police and
authorities.
Within three years, Surachai rose from
being a relatively unknown thug to control
an estimated Bt500-million amphetamine
syndicate.
The suspect, a farmer's son, might have
been given his ''big break'' after he worked
his way up to become a close aide to ''Ch''
who was then a powerful military officer
based in Lop Buri.
Police are still investigating how ''Ch'' and
Surachai got involved with the production
and trafficking of amphetamines, though
they suspect that the alleged use of military
helicopters to transport amphetamines from
Lop Buri to Surachai's Nong Chok house
and to his resort in Kanchanaburi's Thong
Pha Phum district was a key factor that
helped the illicit drug ring to grow by leaps
and bounds.
According to a source close to the
investigation, the illicit drugs were often
concealed in 200-litre oil drums which
would be dumped from the passing
helicopters, on training missions, at
pre-determined locations.
''Ch'', whom Surachai referred to as his
father, introduced the trafficker to his
military friend Maj Gen ''P'', who is a
ranking officer in the Fourth Army.
Police believe that knowing ''P'', also an
owner of a container transport business,
allowed Surachai to become a major
amphetamine supplier for southern Muslim
youth.
The syndicate later expanded its
operations to smuggling amphetamines
across the southern border, investigators
said.
In addition to the South, Surachai ran his
syndicate to dominate amphetamine
trafficking in eastern provinces, where he
has houses in Rayong and Chanthaburi,
and the western province of Kanchanaburi.
Prior to the shoot-out in Nong Chok, drug
authorities found 6,000 amphetamine
tablets hidden in Surachai's private office in
Thong Pha Phum during an Oct 5 raid.
The authorities were surprised to discover
that many ranking local police were friends
of the suspect.
Pol Maj Sompong Ningnuk, a Thong Pha
Phum inspector, was driving a Mercedes
Benz which Surachai had loaned him. After
he was taken into custody on charges of
acting as an accomplice to the suspect,
Sompong denied involvement in the drug
ring even though he conceded he knew
Surachai.
The investigation into Surachai's
amphetamine trafficking in Kanchanaburi
has led to the questioning of several
policemen, including Pol Capt Somchai
Pipatkul.
Pending a further probe, several Nong
Chok policemen were removed from duty.
Pol Col Marut Channual, chief of the local
police, was transferred to an inactive post
while investigator Pol Capt Suthin Sri-udom
and SWAT policeman Nithes Saengrit
were dismissed on charges of disciplinary
violations.