Crackdown to focus on borders in North
Police are beefing up measures to tackle drug problems in the country.
Acting national police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong said yesterday he would target stopping smuggling via the country's borders within three to four months.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt-General Jakthip Chaijinda said he had also instructed 1,500 officers to inspect 59 places, including night entertainment venues, in a bid to solve drug problems.
He had a meeting with 18 special teams of police yesterday. Their mission is to suppress and block drug smuggling through borders in the northern provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son.
Jakthip said the meeting was part of the drug-suppression policy and measures issued by Deputy PM Chalerm Yoobamrung to solve the drug problem.
Priewpan said he believed being able to block smuggling from the North would help police in the central area suppress drugs more easily.
He said the Royal Thai Police would grant financial support to buy weapons and other things necessary for them. Border patrol police would also give a hand blocking drug smuggling. Meanwhile, in the Central region where ya ba production machines have been found, Priewpan said, he would let provincial police raid 'suspicious' places and arrest producers.
In Bangkok, Jakthip said police would inspect night entertainment venues every Friday and Saturday night, when they were the most crowded as drug or other illegal stuff was often brought into venues at such times.
Jakthip and his subordinates yesterday inspected a pub on Thong Lor Road but found neither drugs nor drug users.
Police from Chokchai station also inspected restaurants and entertainment venues in its jurisdiction, but did not find anything illegal.
Jakthip said police would strictly inspect the night-time venues and urged entrepreneurs to follow the law.
