Phuket drug dealer tries to shoot police
PHUKET: Police had a lucky escape this week when Witoon Piwluang, a drug dealer in Cherng Talay grabbed an officer’s gun and tried to shoot the police who had come to arrest him.
Nattha Thepbamrung
Saturday 23 February 2013, 03:51PM
The trail to the showdown with Witoon began with the arrest on Monday (February 18) of Sarat “Ong” Kanpetch, 38, caught in a standard police action using undercover cops to buy drugs from him.
Police seized five grams of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) he was carrying.
The following day officers searched Sarat’s house and seized 3,030 methamphetamine (ya ba) pills, another 500 grams of ya ice and half a kilo of heroin.
They also seized B70,000 in cash, a bank book showing a balance of B700,000, and Sarat’s car.
During questioning of Sarat, police learned Witoon’s name. On Wednesday they went to arrest him, too.
“He would not surrender,” Col Parinya said. “He grabbed a gun from a police officer and pointed it at us.
“Luckily the safety was on, so the gun didn't fire. We struggled with him for a while before I got the gun off him.”
He said that two officers received bruises in the battle that ensued before Witoon could be subdued.
The dealer was found to be in possession of 3,000 ya ba pills and was promptly locked up.
