At 3pm, Phang Nga police chief, Lt Gen Chalit Kaewyarat, held a press conference to announce the arrest of 37-year-old Sopon Suwanarat and 40-year-old Paisan Ratmanee both from Surat Thani. The two had been stopped at the checkpoint and whilst searching their vehicle police found 22 packages containing the 25,816 ya bah pills.
The arrest of Sopon and Paisan came after police received a tip-off that drugs were to be delivered to someone in Moo Baan Bangphat in the Baiteoy sub-district of Phang Nga, and that the person picking up the drugs would then deliver them to a dealer in Surat Thani.
Having received the tip-off police set up a check point near the area and stopped and checked suspicious vehicles that came out of Moo Baan Bangphat.
Sopon told police he owed someone B50,000 he lost at gambling and that he agreed to pick up and deliver the drugs to a dealer in the Khiansa district of Surat Thani to pay off the debt.
“The creditor and I made a deal that if I done this for him I wouldnʼt have to pay back the money.
“I asked Paisan to come along with me and told him we were going to gamble in Surat Thani. He had no idea we were transporting drugs.” Sopon said.
Sopon and Paisan are being held at Phang Nga Police Station and are to be charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.