Nearly 50 people were arrested when a top Justice Ministry official lead more than 100 area law enforcement officials in a drug sweep of 30 Sunee Plaza bars.
Assistant Minister Peerapat Boonjaroen dispatched the task force comprised of Pattaya’s police chief, deputy commander of the Chonburi Provincial Police, the eastern regional head of the Department of Special Investigations, Banglamung’s permanent secretary and 100 police officers and volunteers.
Checking the area’s many gar bars, police arrested 46 men and women on drug use and possession charges. Two-thirds of them were under 18 years old.
Officers seized 19 g. of ya ice, 39 ya ba tablets, a 22 mm. handgun and 3,100 baht in cash.
The raid was the first local police action after the government imposed a 10 p.m. curfew on minors. It was also part of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s project to reduce crime by 20 percent nationwide within six months.
