ARRESTS at Thachatchai Checkpoint and Phuket airport over the past week have highlighted the continuing menace of drugs and illegal weapons on Phuket.
Police pounced at the airport today on a woman who they said was found to have 1400 yah ba (methamphetamine) tablets secreted on her body when she alighted from flight PG 273 at 3.20pm from Bangkok.
They were hoping she would lead them to bust the drugs gang leader. Police named her as Podjanee Tabtim, 31.
Police Colonel Sakchai Limjalern, of Thachatchai Police Station, said: ''Drugs are coming onto Phuket in larger quantities, along with illegal weapons.
''The problem with guns is that people can register them for their own protection. They are required by law to keep them at home, but many people take them out.''
Police Major General Pekad Tantipong, Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, said that the Asean summit last month had led officers to discover an increasing number of drugs being brought to the island by sea.
''We found drugs, including heroin and ice, are now being imported on yachts,'' he said. ''It's sometimes more difficult to catch people in the act at sea.
''They can dispose of the evidence more easily. But we aim to increase the number of checks we make on yachts.''
Police Lieutenant Surirat Tojampa, who specialises in Phuket drug investigations, led today's airport operation after a tip-off.
The woman police arrested had seven packs, each holding 200 methamphetamine tablets, strapped under her jeans.
He said the price of yah ba varied, depending on availability. Phuketwan has been told the haul could have a value of up to 1000 baht a tablet on the streets.
Earlier in the week, two young men from Nakornsitammarat were intercepted as they arrived on Phuket in a pickup at Thachatchai, the northernmost checkpoint.
Officers said the pickup contained yah ba and equipment for making the drug.
The men told police they intended to set up a methamphetamine factory on Phuket to avoid the danger of being caught transporting it.
The pair also had in their possession an illegal unregistered hand gun.
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Police pounced at the airport today on a woman who they said was found to have 1400 yah ba (methamphetamine) tablets secreted on her body when she alighted from flight PG 273 at 3.20pm from Bangkok.
They were hoping she would lead them to bust the drugs gang leader. Police named her as Podjanee Tabtim, 31.
Police Colonel Sakchai Limjalern, of Thachatchai Police Station, said: ''Drugs are coming onto Phuket in larger quantities, along with illegal weapons.
''The problem with guns is that people can register them for their own protection. They are required by law to keep them at home, but many people take them out.''
Police Major General Pekad Tantipong, Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, said that the Asean summit last month had led officers to discover an increasing number of drugs being brought to the island by sea.
''We found drugs, including heroin and ice, are now being imported on yachts,'' he said. ''It's sometimes more difficult to catch people in the act at sea.
''They can dispose of the evidence more easily. But we aim to increase the number of checks we make on yachts.''
Police Lieutenant Surirat Tojampa, who specialises in Phuket drug investigations, led today's airport operation after a tip-off.
The woman police arrested had seven packs, each holding 200 methamphetamine tablets, strapped under her jeans.
He said the price of yah ba varied, depending on availability. Phuketwan has been told the haul could have a value of up to 1000 baht a tablet on the streets.
Earlier in the week, two young men from Nakornsitammarat were intercepted as they arrived on Phuket in a pickup at Thachatchai, the northernmost checkpoint.
Officers said the pickup contained yah ba and equipment for making the drug.
The men told police they intended to set up a methamphetamine factory on Phuket to avoid the danger of being caught transporting it.
The pair also had in their possession an illegal unregistered hand gun.
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