Thailand-Malaysia Drug Trafficking Coordination Planned

Published : June 23, 2010 :: 10:06:19 [ 2,567 views ]

Thailand-Malaysia Drug Trafficking Coordination Planned

Thailand narcotics suppression authorities and their Malaysian counterparts met in conference of Tuesday to discuss joint operations to further prevent the trafficking of illegal drugs over land and sea borders in the region.

Thailand, the 22^nd of June 2010 [PDN]: Thailands Narcotics Suppression Bureau Region 4 (NSB-4), the district responsible for the Thai-Malay border region, revealed that it is now coordinating operations closely with Malaysian officials in an attempt to further tighten measures against land and sea trafficking of illicit drugs.

NSB-4 chief, Major General Preecha Plaiyuwong reported his divisions busts, over the past three months, to his Malaysian counterpart. Seizures included some 224,000 pills of methamphetamine (Ya-Ba), 6kg of crystal methamphetamine (Ya-Ice), 202kg of cannabis and 32,600 bottles of an illegal cough syrup concoction. Along with the various narcotics seizures police confiscated over Bt100 million in drug dealing proceeds.

Prompting closer relations with the Malaysian authorities for narcotics suppression was the arrest of three members of a major Thai-Malay drug syndicate run by the notorious dealer Utsaman Salamaeng. In the arrests Thai authorities confiscated over 130,000 pills of Ya-Ba and Bt6 million in drug proceeds along with discovering several ‘front’ businesses that had been used to launder money in Bangkok.

Dr. Porntip Rojanasunan, member and director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, specified the implicit need to crackdown on the illegal narcotics trade in the volatile southern provinces. She believes proceeds are largely being used to subjugate the insurgents continued attacks on innocent civilians in the region. Further stating, if the financial supports of these violent groups are not cut, attacks will continue.

Furthermore, Commander of the NSB-4, Major General Putthichat Ekkachan stated that officers were working round the clock to monitor and restrict movements of illicit drugs between Thailand’s North/North-East and the Southern border. Due to a large proportion of the illegal drugs being manufactured in the mountainous, rural regions of Northern Thailand and more specifically, Myanmar, officers are attempting to cut their ability to transport the drugs to the south and the lucrative Malaysian black market that follows.

In Malaysia, authorities have revealed their focus on cannabis has led to the seizure of over 1000kg of the drug in the past year alone. The proposal to further tighten drug trafficking between the Thai-Malay border has been welcomed by Malaysian authorities who will now coordinate on all bust in the region, be it by land or sea.