Chalerm vows to hunt down drug ring suspects

“We must be decisive and we must arrest all involved no matter what occupations they have,” said Chalerm, who was visiting Kalasin, where over 350,000 Actifed tablets have disappeared from Kamalasai Hospital.
“I have instructed Narcotics Suppression police, the Narcotics Control Board and the Department of Special Investigation to work closely on the cases. While we worked so hard on the campaign to suppress methamphetamine, now we have unexpectedly found that the source is in hospitals. It was also done by people with high social status. The cases against anyone found guilty must be pursued actively to the end,” he said.
Ultimate measures would be taken against people involved in the embezzlement of medicines containing pseudoephedrine from state hospitals amid concerns that the chemical might be used to produce ya ba, he said.
Pol Colonel Wichien Pinduang, the provincial police chief, said after chairing a meeting with investigators that the probe into the missing drugs at Kamalasai Hospital was expected to be finished within three days. The case then will be transferred to Narcotics Suppression police to take legal action against the pharmacists involved.
The pilfering of cold medicine is believed to be related to the illicit drug trade, as pseudoephedrine can be used as an ingredient in the making of both ya ba and ice, he said.
But the inquiry must be handled carefully as the suspects were government officials. They were likely to face fraud and graft charges, he said.