Vice Governor Anupap revealed the news at a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Center Committee at Provincial Hall.
Joining the meeting were Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Pol Col Kitipong Klaikaew as well as Thongchai Somkiatkul from the Ministry of Public Health Region 8 Office along with heads of local government agencies and other relevant officials.
The regular meeting of the anti-drugs committee, the 10th this year, was to review drugs crime statistics and report results of operations according to the action plan under the national policy plan on preventing and suppressing and solving drug problems in Phuket.
Vice Governor Anupap said that there were 200 arrests in Phuket in August for drug offences. Most cases involved methamphetamine (ya bah), followed by crystal meth (ya ice), heroin and cocaine.
In comparison, in July 2023 there were 183 arrests for drug offences in Phuket. The August 2023 figure marked an increase of 17 cases, he noted.
Throughout all of 2022, there were 1,971 arrests for drug offences in Phuket. Already so far this year there have been 2,209 arrests, an increase of 238 cases, he added.
The majority of drug cases this year were possession for personal use (876 cases), but 862 cases were for possession beyond personal use, and 233 cases involved distribution, Vice Governor Anunpap said.
The committee will continue its work on drug use prevention and suppression, the Vice Governor noted.
However, he warned that police and administrative departments were to continue their work to uncover networks that transport drugs into Phuket.