Police Seek Four More Suspects in Ice Drug Hidden in Pickled Tamarind
Police are hunting four more suspects in a methamphetamine smuggling ring that allegedly hid drugs in pickled tamarind pods destined for Japan. The arrest of primary suspect Somphong has exposed a network of about 15 people believed to be l
Police are seeking four additional arrest warrants in an expanding methamphetamine smuggling investigation, bringing the suspected network to approximately 15 people. The case centers on methamphetamine hidden inside pickled tamarind pods that were intended to be smuggled to Japan by a hired courier. The primary suspect, 50-year-old Somphong, was arrested after the courier discovered the drugs and reported the matter to police. On July 17, Somphong told investigators he has been dating a Vietnamese woman for over a year, who is currently in Vietnam and was planning to return to Thailand in August. He claims he previously allowed his Vietnamese girlfriend to use his bank account for financial transactions because she is a foreigner and it was convenient for her banking needs, but he denies knowing what transactions were conducted through the account.
Investigators have not yet found direct evidence linking Somphong to the drug smuggling operation. However, they believe the gang is primarily led by a Vietnamese national working with Thai accomplices, and they suspect the network has successfully smuggled drugs multiple times using this method. The courier was paid 6,736 baht for this shipment, with the full amount transferred to her account. Police are now rushing to track down all network members and have filed for court approval to arrest four more suspects—three Thai nationals and one Vietnamese.
Somphong's younger brother visited him at Bang Yi Khan Police Station and told reporters the family was shocked by his arrest on drug charges. The brother stated that Somphong works for a government agency with insufficient income and frequently calls asking for help transferring small sums of 50–100 baht, arguing that if he were involved in a drug trafficking ring, he would not need to repeatedly ask family for money. Regarding the Vietnamese girlfriend, the brother said they only know the couple met at a restaurant in Bangkok before becoming romantically involved, and he was unaware that Somphong had given her access to his bank account. The family requested fair legal treatment and vowed to fight the charges and prove Somphong's innocence.
