Thai Authorities Target Country's Celebs With Links To Xaysana Drug Network

By Mohd Haikal M. Isa BANGKOK, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- With the top regional drug lord Xaysana Keopimpha safely behind bars now, information about his alleged illicit dealings with celebrities and prominent people in the country has started to emerge. Thai authorities claimed the Lao national who was suspected of running a region-wide drug smuggling ring had roped in celebrities and prominent people in Thailand as well as Laos for money laundering and asset concealment activities. "Entertainment figures, socialites and prominent members of Thailand's luxury car circles are now implicated," Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) chief Lt Gen Sommai Kongvisaisuk was quoted as saying by the local media Thursday. The extent of Xaysana's network inside Thailand was laid to bare after the country's authorities arrested three men in Udon Thani province in northeast Thailand last Sunday with 720,000 Methaphetamine pills. Sommai said, the drug lord portrayed himself as a wealthy man from Laos. "When he came here, he threw parties inviting entertainment figures and celebrities from many other fields of Thailand as guests. After the ties were developed, he used them for money laundering," he alleged. Earlier Thursday, Thai drug and money laundering authorities raided a shop owned by the husband of one of the country's top actresses, on suspicion of having links with Xaysana's drug smuggling network. Since his arrest at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Jan 19, Thai media has been gripped with news about Xaysana's drug smuggling network in Thailand and other countries in the region, as well as his extravagant lifestyles. The NSB chief in an exclusive interview with Bernama recently said, the Lao national who was also known as "Mr X" among the country's drug enforcement circle, also had connections with Malaysian drug syndicates. Sommai disclosed that most of the drugs, Methaphetamine and pure Heroin that were intercepted by the Thai authorities from a Malaysian syndicate in southern Thailand enroute to the neigbouring country were sourced from Xaysana's network. "All the (big) cases involving a Malaysian syndicate trying to smuggle drugs from Thailand into Malaysia pointed to the involvement of Xaysana. The Malaysian syndicate got its drugs from Xaysana's network," he said. According to the local media, the Lao drug lord also maintained legitimate businesses such as hotels, sawmill and car distributorship among others, while leading a celebrity lifestyle. Through his Facebook account, he has provided a glimpse of his lifestyle and wealth, posting pictures of his luxury car collection which included a Lamborghini. Pictures of him with many well-known figures in Laos including family members of a former top politician in the country, has also emerged. A high-ranking drug enforcement officer in Thailand has also shown to Bernama visual clippings of Xaysana's driving around in a Lamborghini while on holiday in Phuket, days before his arrest in Bangkok. The officer also said, the drug lord had several high-value properties in Thailand and other businesses. -- BERNAMA