Monk arrested for allegedly selling drugs around temple
Police arrested a 25-year-old Buddhist monk at a temple in Bangkok’s Suan Luang district for allegedly pushing methamphetamine pills and crystal meth or “ice” to teenagers around his temple.
The Wednesday morning raid on the living quarters of Phra Kitiphoptho, whose layman name is Yutthana Napohpol, at Wat Ton Sai on Soi Onnuj 29, was carried out jointly by officers from Phra Khanong Police Station and drug suppression police from Metropolitan Police Division 5.
Pol Lt-Colonel Pruetthipong Promtem, an inspector at Phra Khanong Police Station, said police had received a tip-off from an informant that the monk had allegedly been selling the drug and he had hidden it in his living quarters.
Police found 7.12 grams of ice and 150 methamphetamine pills.
The monk was defrocked and charged with possessing narcotics with intent to sell.
The monk admitted that he bought ice from a man known only as Montree near the Morchit Bus Terminal for Bt700 per gram and methamphetamine pills for Bt60 a pill.
He said he sold the ice for between Bt1,200 to Bt1,500 per gram and sold the methamphetamine for between Bt100 to Bt180 per pill.