An official report still calling sea gypsies “Thai Mai” (“New Thais”) confirmed that the “raid” at the sea gypsy village was on Thursday night (Sept 14). The report was posted online late yesterday.
The ‘Phuket District Narcotics Suppression Operation Team’, led by Weerasak Khamkerd, joined by officers from the Chalong Police arrived at the sea gypsy village, in Moo 2, Rawai, and arrested Charin Bangchak, 20, who was found with 20 orange ya bah pills packed in a clear plastic tube in his pocket in his shorts.
Charin was taken to Chalong Police Station and charged accordingly, said the report.
Charin “confessed to all the charges”, the report noted.
The raid was attributed to being a part of the ongoing crackdown on drugs ordered by Muang Phuket District Chief Pairote Srilamoon.
The campaign, dubbed “proactive measures to prevent and suppress drugs” will last three months, from September to November, the report noted.
The campaign aims to “put pressure on users, dealers and those involved with drugs to suppress the epidemic of drugs in the area to be reduced and eliminated in all forms”.