Young laws to protect them
Play
Pracha Terat, deputy permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry, said the law had to be strictly enforced to protect children from drugs as well as prohibit entertainment venues from allowing youngsters under the age of 18 from entering.
Pracha was speaking at a seminar on the prevention of drug trafficking, which was attended by 1,360 provincial governors, local leaders and other officials from 14 Southern provinces. Adul Saengsingkaew, chief of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said that since December, 120,000 suspects had been arrested for drug-related offences and 16 million ya ba tablets, 600 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 300kg of heroin, and 4,000kg of marijuana had been seized. Police have also confiscated the assets of about 1,500 suspects worth Bt600 million.
Last year, 92 police officers faced criminal charges and 133 faced disciplinary action for their role in drug trafficking. The Khao Bin Prison in Nakhon Ratchasima has installed a phone-signal jammer to stop inmates dealing drugs after about 2,000 mobile phones and drugs were found in prisons.
In related news, Muhammadnuri Hayibaka was nabbed and Bt35 million worth of cash and assets seized. Meanwhile, the Department of Special Investigation presented drug suspects Daochai Phuwijitthavornchai and wife Praniporn, who were arrested in Chiang Rai in a sting operation. So far, police have seized assets worth Bt40 million.
