Narcotic racket busted

BANGKOK, Jan 31 (TNA) -- Police arrested seven people for allegedly being involved in a drug racket and seized war weapons from them. Pol Gen Chalermkiat Sriworakhan, deputy national police chief, said the suspects were arrested in rented rooms in Sai Mai district of Bangkok and in Pathum Thani province. Police seized from them 22 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 400,000 speed pills, three AK-47, M16 and Carbine assault rifles, 307 rounds of ammunition, and a vehicle. According to the deputy police chief, the gang stored drugs for retail in Sai Mai, smuggled narcotics from Nong Khai province bordering Laos and delivered drugs to Songkhla province. They knew one another in a prison and worked for an employer. They had done the illicit business for about a year and used the assault rifles to protect themselves while transporting illicit drugs. Pol Gen Chalermkiat did not name the suspects, saying police were expanding their investigation deeper into their drug network. (TNA)