Drug suspect killed in shootout with police
A drug suspect was shot dead late on Saturday night in a gunfight in Krabi province, police said.
Police identified the suspect as Suriya Thokong, 38, who had walked out of jail just two years ago after serving a jail term related to drug charges.
An ongoing investigation suggested that Suriya may have returned to the drug trade hence police planned a sting operation.
Pol Major Weerasak Kongpetch, the chief of a border patrol police company, said undercover agents offered to buy 200 methamphetamine tablets from Suriya.
“He came to the designated spot to deliver the drugs but after realising that it was a sting operation, he drove his motorcycle into a roadside forest and opened fire,” Weerasak said.
According to Weerasak, police then shot back causing the death of Suriya.
A rifle, 325 methamphetamine tablets and some amount of crystal meth were allegedly found near Suriya’s body.