Bangkok Crimes

Bangkok Post

Police are checking the backgrounds of six drug suspects after they were allegedly found carrying war weapons and illicit drugs near the home of Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul.

Metropolitan Police chief Worapong Chiewpreecha yesterday said the investigation would focus on finding the source of the weapons and checking the records of the suspects to see if they have been involved in any serious crimes.

Police believe the six might be members of a criminal network headed by alleged Klong Toey drug kingpin Sayam Sapworasit, alias Suparp Sidaeng. [Also known as 'Phap 70 Rai']

The six were arrested after the car they were travelling in was stopped at a police checkpoint on Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road in Yannawa district shortly after midnight yesterday.

The suspects are Sasithorn Prommanee, 28; Khwan Thavornchan, 23; Uthen Saptrakul, 25; Chanont Rungroj, 20; Paweera Patchanee, 25, and Sommart Yudee.

Bang Pong Pang police conducting a body search of the driver of the white Honda Jazz, Mr Sommart, alias Moo Klong Toey, allegedly found two grammes of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice”.

The vehicle is owned by Ms Sasithorn.

Police say a search of the car boot turned up a large box containing two Uzi automatic weapons, two MT rifles, an AK-47 rifle, and 64 rounds of AK-47 ammunition. The weapons were loaded.

Also seized was 44,719 baht in cash, four to five baht in gold ornaments, seven mobile phones and a computer notebook.

Police later searched Ms Sasithorn’s apartment on Sukhumvit Soi 50 in Klong Toey district, and allegedly found two kilogrammes of “ice” with a street value of about 6 million baht.

Police said a 9mm automatic pistol, some bullets and seven bank account books were also found in her room. They say Ms Sasithorn told them she had been hired by a man to deliver the drugs to a customer in Klong Toey.

She also allegedly said she had made three deliveries and was paid 40,000 to 50,000 baht a time.

Police said Ms Sasithorn, when questioned about the weapons, claimed she had been hired by a man to pick up a box in Klong Toey on Monday, and was told someone would contact her.

They said she denied knowing the names of the people who hired her.

Pol Col Jiraphat Phumjit, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Division 5, said he believed the suspects were members of a drug ring allegedly run by Mr Sayam.

KC: Some additional info on drug kingpin Phap 70 Rai: He was arrested for drug trafficking in 2003 during Thaksin’s ‘War on Drugs’ and in 2004 Phap was sentenced to life in prison. He was also given twenty years for money laundering. His assets were seized by the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and auctioned for twenty million baht. However, in 2005 Phap 70 Rai was acquitted of drugs chages in the Appeals Court. He continues to weild enormous social, economic and political influence in Khlong Toey.

Additional info from 2003:

“Supap Seedaeng, aka Sayam Sapworasit, nickname “Pap 70 rai”. Age: 35. From: Klong Toei.

Occupation: Car financing, drivers’ licence renewals and car insurance sales. He is suspected of using his legitimate businesses to launder money.

Arrested: March 26 this year at his Klong Toei home. He was allegedly implicated in a scam involving two other people who were arrested in 1998. Many of his assets were seized. A month after his arrest, his wife was also detained and another Bt100 million worth of assets were seized.

Assets impounded: Personal properties and those owned by Supap’s syndicate now under government control are estimated to be worth more than Bt230 million, but a portion of his worth is believed to have been absorbed into the syndicate’s assets. The Bt230million seizure is thought to represent about half of his actual worth.

Profile: Allegedly involved in drug running since 1994. Police believe such was the depth of his involvement, the syndicate was formed nine years ago specifically to manage illicit income.

Syndicate: Authorities seized assets listed as belonging to Supap and the syndicate, whose major players were thought to be active in Klong Toei slum’s major drug running clique”