A 13-year-old drug user was among 17 people arrested when authorities raided an East Pattaya neighborhood, but the dealer they were targeting escaped.
Fifty police officers, Banglamung District officials and soldiers surrounded the Rong Ruey Community, blocking all its streets and inspecting 70 homes. Yet the female dealer, known only as “Jae Dam” still managed to find a back door and escape into the woods.
Police did arrest a 13-year-old with 11 methamphetamine tablets, marijuana and kratom. He claimed the ya ba pills belonged to his mother – who was hiding – but the weed and kratom was his.
Ironically, it was the earlier arrest of another 13-year-old with 200 speed pills that prompted the raid.
Another 16 residents failed drug tests and also were detained.
Banglamung and the military plans to host an upcoming neighborhood meeting about the neighborhood’s drug problem.
