More than 20 army, police and local law enforcement officials led by the 41 Military Circle’s Maj Sathit Naikoon, Muang District Administration Officer (Palad) Mr Wiratdej boonreingkhao and Wichit Police Chief Col Nikorn Somsuk raid a rented home in the Muangthong Sukniran community in Muang Thong Soi 4, Moo 1 Wichit after learning that it is a place where local teenagers buy their kratom leaves.
Police arrested 23-year-old Anurak Kongphet who was found inside the home with over 100kg of kratom leaves.
Maj Sathit revealed that the arrest of Anurak came after he and his team were monitoring the activity of local teenagers, and after identifying their target officers searched drug suspects and found them in possession of kratom. Officers questioned where they got the leaves from and were told about the home in Wichit that sells kratom to them.
“We then called for backup before surrounding the house, then when we arrived the home was locked, however, the landlord brought us a spare key to open the door. There was no one inside the room, but we found a loose ceiling tile and when we forced it open we found Anurak hiding inside with eight sacks containing 924 bundles of kratom leaves,” he said.
At the narcotic enforcement centre in Phuket Town, Anurak told officers that all the kratom belonged to him and admitted that he sells the illegal leaves to teenagers so they can make the 4X100 cocktail.
Anurak was later taken to Wichit Police Station to face charges of possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell.