Cops raid flower market, seize meth drugs

PATHUM THANI: A flower vendor and two other suspects were arrested with a total of 169.2 grammes of crystal methamphetamine and 466 tablets of methamphetamine in two sting operations yesterday in the Talaad Thai wholesale market area.

The suspects were identified as Sompoch Sengnui, 35, from Surat Thani, and Pongpithak Phakdi, 20, and Pongsakorn Saengphoem, 20, both from Pathum Thani, said Soemwit Sombat, a Klong Luang district deputy chief in charge of security affairs.

In the first operation carried out by a combined force of soldiers, military rangers, local administrative officials and police, Mr Sompoch, who is a flower trader at Talaad Thai, was detained with 401 tablets of methamphetamine and 71.8g of crystal methamphetamine, Mr Soemwit said.

Prior to this operation, the authorities learnt from a police spy that Mr Sompoch was supplying the drugs to teenage customers in a community near the market, he said. Authorities planned the sting operation in which the spy was assigned to contact Mr Sompoch asking to buy crystal methamphetamine worth 10,000 baht, Mr Soemwit said.

The money was successfully transferred on Thursday and the suspect agreed to deliver the drugs to the spy yesterday, he added.

After his arrest, Mr Sompoch confessed to receiving the drugs from a major drug dealer known only as Ek or Maeo, so authorities persuaded Mr Sompoch to cooperate in an impromptu sting operation, Mr Soemwit said.

Mr Sompoch was told to contact the drug dealer and request more drugs, he said.

The operation seemed destined for failure when the dealer rang Mr Sompoch to ask if he knew of any police arrests, before the line was suddenly cut off.

But as the authorities were ready to give up, Mr Pongpithak and Mr Pongsakorn contacted Mr Sompoch saying they had obtained the narcotics which were ready for collection.