A 39-year-old man, identified only as Pairat, was arrested in Thung Song district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, on Saturday night with an assault rifle, 95 bullets, and 111 methamphetamine pills. Police believe Pairat is a key figure in a major drug trafficking operation in southern Thailand.
Pol Lt Col Jaratchote Boonplong, the investigative chief at Thung Song police station, reported that the arrest took place at a rented house in the Pak Phraek area. In addition to the rifle and drugs, police also found three mobile phones during the search.
According to the authorities, Pairat has been involved in the illegal drug trade for years. Investigators suspect he has been distributing speed pills in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, his home province. Pairat allegedly placed large orders of methamphetamine, typically around 20,000 pills at a time, for resale.
The police are now investigating the origins of the assault rifle and ammunition, as well as searching for other individuals involved in the drug trafficking network associated with Pairat.
