Police in the provinces of Bokeo and Luang Namtha have made significant arrests involving large quantities of illegal drugs, local media reported.
The Bokeo Drug Prevention and Control Department recently arrested a couple and confiscated 12kg of crystal methamphetamine and about 42,000 amphetamine pills in Namkerng village, Tonpheung district.
According to the Khuamsangob newspaper, police received a tipoff from a local resident regarding the transport of illegal drugs from Bokeo province to Vientiane.
Police used a vehicle inspection checkpoint in Namkerng village to stop and examine a bus and found the crystal methamphetamine and amphetamine pills in the couple’s bags.
The pair were named as Mr Maysengyod, 51, and Ms Fong, 48, of Huaypherng village, Tonpheung district.
They told police that a drug dealer, who they couldn’t name, hired them to take the drugs from Bokeo province to Vientiane for which they would be paid about 102,000 Thai baht.
Police are continuing their investigation into the case in hopes of identifying other people involved in the drug ring.
Meanwhile, in Luang Namtha province police arrested two men after finding 18,000 amphetamine pills concealed in a motorbike.
The men were named as Mr Korpa, 32, and Mr Kermue, 27, both of Poungxay village, Long district.
Police set up a road block in Sing district and stopped the motorbike, finding the stash inside.
Mr Korpa confessed to buying the pills from a man in Myanmar, with the intention of selling them. He paid Mr Kermue 500,000 kip to take him and the pills by motorbike to a Mr Yaso in Homxay village, Sing district.
Under amended Article 146 of the Criminal Law, for cases involving refined drugs as opposed to precursor chemicals, the penalties are the following:
For the possession, trading, sale or trafficking of between 0.3 and 100 grammes of synthetic drugs such as amphetamine, ecstasy, ice or crystal methamphetamine or other mind altering substances, the punishment shall be a prison sentence of 5-10 years. For between 100-500g of any such substances the punishment under the law is 10-20 years in jail plus financial penalties.
Under the law, anyone convicted of possessing over 500g of heroin can be handed the death penalty.
Source: Vientiane Times
