BANGKOK, Feb 3 — Much drug apparatus, many mobile phones, SIM cards, and quantities of cash were found stashed in varied locations in the capital’s Bang Kwang Central Prison following a search operation conducted as part of an effort to crack down on drug syndicates.
More than 400 personnel from the Departments of Corrections, Provincial Administration, Provincial Police Region 1 and Office of the Narcotics Control Board searched Bang Kwang Central Prison in Nonthaburi, a maximum security prison for men, beginning at 3.30am today.
The search combed sections 2, 6, 8 and 10 of the main prison compound including dormitories, exercise ground, bathing and washing hall and resulted in much seized drug use apparatus, mobile phones, SIM cards, cash and homemade alcoholic beverages in various locations.
The raid followed the arrest of suspected drug dealer suspect Nipon Kanchat who earlier implicated Peerayuth Phaedsakul, also known as Tee, who continued to function as a drug trade kingpin despite being behind bars in Bang Kwang Prison.
Mr Peerayuth earlier denied the charges and asserted his innocence but prison authorities placed him in solitary confinement.
Mr Nipon reportedly admitted owning the 3.8 million speed pills and 71kg of crystal methamphetamine or ice worth more than a billion baht, which was earlier found by police at a rented house in Pathum Thani.
Bang Kwang Prison has detained some 100 inmates convicted of drug-related offences and may link with the drug syndicates outside prison. The Corrections Department plans to move them to Ratchaburi’s Khao Bin Central Prison which has a special zone set apart.
