Suthep 'confident' latest crackdown will ease drug problem
By The Nation
2011-01-15
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban expressed confidence yesterday that the Kingdom's drug problems would ease within three months, as a nationwide campaign was underway to crack down on the narcotic trade.
Suthep said the focus of the campaign was on drug gangs and beefing up of border areas to prevent smuggling from neighbouring countries, particularly in the North and South. He added that certain provinces were found to "have not been active enough".
"The three-month operation to reduce the country's drug problem will help restore public confidence, and I am confident the situation will improve," he said.
At Government House, Suthep chaired a meeting of high-level officials from all over the country about the government policy against illicit drugs. Among the participants were the Army commander-in-chief, the national police chief, the interior minister, the justice minister, provincial governors, and representatives from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Internal Security Operations Command.
Suthep said the provincial governors should work with police, public prosecutors, and judges to speed up the process of sending drug addicts for rehabilitation, as part of the bid to ease the drug problem.
He also instructed the provincial governors and police commanders to crack down on military weapons such as AK-47 assault rifles being used by criminals.
He said these weapons, including those used by drug dealers, should be seized for the use of state officials, particularly those having to deal with heavily armed drug gangs.
Suthep said the relevant authorities should revoke firearm-possession licences of people involved in the drug trade.
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