Samran Yukunthon, chief of the Muang District Office anti-drugs team, announced the arrest at a press conference yesterday (Feb 25).
Boonlerd Rodyod, 31, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, was found in possession of 1,978 pills of methamphetamine (ya bah) in his rented room in Moo 5 Rassada, to the east of the bypass road.
Mr Samran said that his anti-narcotics enforcement team, under the command of District Chief Supoj Chanakit, received a tip off from their own undercover officers that Boonlerd reportedly used drugs and sold them to teenagers in the area.
“Officers monitored his activities for a couple of days then at 3pm (Feb 25) I led my team to his place and searched him and his room,” Mr Samran said.
“We discovered small amount of meth on him and the rest hidden inside his room,” he added.
However, no police were present during the raid and Mr Samran made no mention of any search warrants issued in order to carry out the raid.
“Boonlerd confessed that all the meth pills belonged to him and that he had ordered them from a drug network in Nakhon Sri Thammarat Prison,” Mr Samran said.
“He said that he sold most his drugs to local clients and kept small amount for himself. We had his urine tested for drugs and it tested positive,” he added.
Boonlerd was to be taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with possession of a Category 1 drugs with intent to sell, Mr Samran said.
“Phuket City Police will contact officials at Nakhon Sri Thammarat Prison about the reported drug network active there,” he said.
The news that major drug networks are still active inside the walls at Nakhon Sri Thammarat Prisoni follows years of reports of kingpins working with officials to operate their cartels from behind bars. A major offensive several years ago netted some suspects, including guards. (See story here.)