B1M reward for info on cop shooters

The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) is offering rewards worth a total of one million baht for information that could lead to the prosecution of five suspected drug smugglers who shot dead a policeman at a checkpoint in Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai district last week.

ONCB secretary-general, Wichai Chaimongkol, said the money will be given to anyone who can help police locate Anuchit Jatoh, 34, Jaye Jader, 43, Jayee Ja-Ue, 46, Jatupol Yaju, 26 and Jana, 40, who are wanted over the death of Pol Maj Pibulpan Sukhumnont, 48, and for drug trafficking.

Anyone who submits a tip that results in the prosecution of a suspect will receive a 200,000-baht reward, Mr Wichai said, urging anyone with information to contact the 1386 hotline.

The ONCB will organise Pol Maj Pibulpan’s funeral in Fang district to honour him, the ONCB chief said, adding the office will liaise with Provincial Police Region 5, Narcotics Suppression Bureau and authorities in Myanmar to get to the bottom of the case.

The hunt for the suspects began on Dec 28, after five people travelling in a Toyota pickup truck sped through a checkpoint in Ban Pong Hai, near the border in Mae Ai district.

Pol Maj Pibulpan went after them and managed to use his vehicle to block the road ahead to prevent their escape.

Seeing the roadblock, one suspect opened fire at the vehicle, hitting Pol Maj Pibulpan, who later succumbed to his injuries at Mae Ai Hospital.

The suspects managed to evade arrest and sped off, but officers caught up with them at Ban Ja To in tambon Ban Luang, about 10 kilometres away, and shot at their tyres.

When the officers finally surrounded the pickup, they saw no sign of the smugglers.

However, they found 21 sacks containing about four million methamphetamine pills dumped nearby.