The Nation
BANGKOK: -- In order to attract new buyers, many drug dealers are offering free "ice" flakes with every purchase of amphetamine tablets, a senior official from the Office of Narcotics Control Board said yesterday.
This offer is aimed at the wealthy patrons of night entertainment venues and university students in large cities, said Adul Prayoonsit, head of ONCB Region 4 based in Nakhon Phanom.
However, he did not say how many amphetamine tablets had to be bought to get the free ice flakes. "Although ice is more expensive, it is condensed and gives a ten-fold better high than amphetamine," he added.
The promotion has been doing the rounds in Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom since late last year.
Meanwhile, two amphetamine traders were arrested in a drug bust in Nakhon Phanom.
Police said, in order to avoid detection, many traders have changed how they carry drugs. Now they are employing large numbers of couriers and getting them to hide the cargo in the soles of their shoes, the press was told yesterday.
Also recently, two Burmese nationals, Than Lwin and Min Naig - both 30 - were arrested for having 9,670 tablets in their possession.
The drug haul was hidden in the shoes they were wearing, as well as another pair and a large book in their luggage.
They were nabbed, separately, at a Pathum Thani hotel, and a Bangkok apartment. The two suspects were allegedly getting ready to meet up and deliver the drugs. The suspects, who have also been charged with illegal entry, implicated Zaw Lin as the owner of drugs, saying that he was disguised as a student studying a translation course in Bangkok.
Allegedly Zaw Lin has couriers run one route no more than three times, before new people are put on the job in a move to minimise detection, the suspects were quoted as saying.
In a separate operation, police arrested Jarukit Rungrong-hiranya, the son of a well-known businessman, for having 20,000 amphetamine tablets and 100 grams of ice flake in his possession, along with two loaded handguns. He was caught delivering drugs in his BMW.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09













