Police plan major drug crackdown

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Police plan major drug crackdown
Published: 30/11/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

City police are planning a major sweep of drug gangs operating in three communities in the Samsen area after a team of drug enforcement officers came under attack from residents while trying to arrest a suspected dealer.

The Metropolitan Police Bureau said yesterday it had arrested three residents of Soi Inthamara 14 for leading about 50 people in the attack on the narcotics team's cars after they arrested a suspected seller of methamphetamines, widely known as "ice", in the neighbourhood. Two officers were injured in the fracas.

Metropolitan Police Bureau Division1 commander Wichai Sangprapai told a news conference the team, led by Pol Lt Col Supakrit Dueanjamrum, launched a sting operation in Soi Inthamara 14, off Sutthisan Winitchai Road in Bangkok's Samsen area, on Sunday.

The team arrested Yindee Imsuwan,26, also known as Kong, in a community at the bottom of the soi. Police said they seized about 1.4 grammes of "ice" and 1,500 baht in cash from Mr Yindee.

A group of about 50 residents surrounded the officers' two cars, particularly the one in which Mr Yindee was sitting on the back seat.

The crowd jeered and yelled profanities at the police while they called for the release of Mr Yindee. Some threw stones at the police cars, damaging the body and windows. The crowd refused to disperse even after a police officer fired his pistol into the air.

The team did manage to get the two cars from the area, Pol Maj Gen Wichai said.

"We will crack down hard [on the traffickers]." he said.

A woman officer who was part of the narcotics team, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Farung Sutthikhao, and Pol Sgt Nopphadon Darasuwan, were slightly injured when the stones were thrown.

Pol Maj Gen Wichai said the narcotics team lodged a complaint with Bang Sue police against three residents of Soi Inthamara 14, accusing them of being involved in the attack.

Tom Detsaya, 31, Sitthichai Chanrueang, 55, and Soraya Phanrenu, 20, were charged with trying to use force to coerce police officers to free a suspect.