Elderly Drug Gang Arrested After Neighborhood Complaints: Some With 12 Prior Convictions Return to Old Ways
Police arrested four elderly gang members in Suphan Buri, including one with 12 prior drug convictions, after residents complained about drug use and disturbances at rental houses.
On May 8, 2025, the Mueang Suphan Buri administrative team, led by Subdistrict Chief Sithiporn Khonghom, responded to neighborhood complaints about a rental house in Talat Thaisap Soi 2 where residents reported the strong smell of drugs and loud music from occupants who had been arrested before but released, only to resume causing disturbances. The subdistrict chief ordered Deputy Chief Chaitach Jetsadapakorn to lead a joint operation with provincial security personnel, police investigators, and municipal officials.
Upon arrival, officers found an elderly man identified as Chaiyong, 64, using drugs inside a room that reeked of narcotics. A search discovered three methamphetamine pills. The suspect admitted to recent drug use and had two prior drug convictions. His urine tested positive, and he was handed over to police for prosecution.
The operation then expanded to another location on Khun Krai Road, where officers found another elderly man, Somchai, 66, with 16 methamphetamine pills hidden in a plastic bottle. He confessed to drug use and disclosed 12 prior drug convictions but remained undeterred, returning to his old ways. Two additional gang members were arrested—Krokkot, 53, with two prior drug convictions, and Wanchai, 68, with previous convictions for armed robbery and attempted murder. All four suspects tested positive and were referred to police for legal proceedings.
