Nakhon Phanom: Anti-narcotics police swooped on a house in Na Wa district before later arresting its owner in nearby Kalasin, who was suspected to be involved in a major drug smuggling operation.
Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) chief, Montri Yimyaem, said at a press conference yesterday that he ordered his officers to raid a house in tambon Lao Phatthana, after receiving a tip-off that its owner, Phadet Prasert, 48, ran a drug trafficking network in the Northeast that is known as "Bad Brother".
Pol Lt Gen Montri said another team raided a house in Kalasin and arrested Mr Phadet, who was present at the press conference, there.
He said Mr Phadet's brother, Phadung Prasert, is on the run to evade drug trafficking charges.
The pair were known to be major drug dealers who have allegedly smuggled illicit drugs from neighbouring countries to be sold in Nakhon Phanom, Bueng Kan, Mukdahan, as well as several other provinces in the Central Plains and the South.
Mr Phadung was a local politician based in tambon Lao Phatthana in Nakhon Phanom's Na Wa district.
Pol Lt Gen Montri went on to say that police have raided 25 locations in Bangkok and the Northeast, which were suspected to be linked to the drug trafficking network, saying up to 50 million baht of assets could potentially be seized.
At Mr Phadet's house in Nakhon Phanom alone, authorities impounded eight cars and three motorcycles. The house itself, along with 40 rai of land, may also be seized if they were found to have been illegally acquired.
The raids followed the arrest of Panya Ngernchari in Nakhon Phanom on Sunday. Mr Panya was wanted on a drug charge and was apprehended as he was leaving his house at Ban Na Pho in tambon Ban Phung of Muang district to vote in the local election.
Police sought to arrest Mr Phadet as several other drug suspects had also told investigators that he was the mastermind of the operations.
Mr Phadet said he is only affiliated with his brother through their construction company and denies being involved in the drug trade.
That said, about 1.5 tonnes of crystal meth and a tonne of cannabis were seized from his property, which the police believe were smuggled into the Northeast by members of Mr Phadet's drug network.
Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Charoenwong, deputy chief of the NSB, insisted that there is enough evidence to substantiate charges against Mr Phadet even though he has denied the allegations.
