Singaporean Arrested In Thailand with Huge Ya-Ice Haul

Published : February 22, 2010 :: 14:02:56 [ 2,346 views ]

A Singaporean national has been arrested in the Southern Thai province of Songkhla on Saturday. Thai Border Patrol officers apprehended the man after an inspection of his baggage revealed several concealed packages of the illegal class-1 drug Ya-Ice.

Songkhla, the 20^th of February 2010 [PDN]: Thai Border Patrol Authorities from Region 4 released a statement on Saturday claiming they had successfully confiscated a consignment totaling over 30kg of methamphetamine Hydrochloride, commonly known in Thailand as Ya-Ice.

Police Lieutenant Watcharin Sri-on stated they had detained the smuggler, Mr. Lok Chong Meng [35] a Singaporean national, who was allegedly transporting the drug from Bangkok to a Malaysian contact in Hat Yai. Mr. Chong Meng was apprehended at the Hat-Yai Railway Station after a check of several packages that he was transporting revealed the drugs concealed within a collection of electric kettles.

The illegal drugs consignment, approximately 32kg worth, has an estimated street value of over 75 million baht. Mr. Chong Meng has claimed that he was merely a mule for a larger drug distribution network, involved with the transporting Ya-Ice between Bangkok and Butterworth on the Malaysian-Thai border.

Mr. Chong Meng has further stated that he had an organized exchange with a Malaysian contact in Hat-Yai who would then be responsible for the transportation of the substance into Malaysia for further distribution.

Songkhla police have arrested and remanded Mr. Chong Meng in custody whilst they continue with their investigations into the drug trafficking operations.

Note: Drug distribution and trafficking is a very serious crime in Thailand with the death penalty or life imprisonment often handed down in major cases such as this.