Drug smuggling drops after NCPO takes power

BANGKOK, July 10 (TNA) - Drug trafficking in Thailand has declined and prices have increased along the Thai border after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) seized power in the country, said Permpong Chaovalit, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), on Thursday. Permpong told participants at a meeting on measures to suppress narcotics between July and September, that a large quantity of drugs in Myanmar was ready to be smuggled into Thailand any time, but drug traffickers have had to be more cautious after NCPO seized power on May 22. The meeting was presided over by Permanent Secretary for Interior Wiboon Sanguanpong. Smugglers are forced to pick up drugs, and in small amounts each time, causing narcotics prices at the border to rise slightly, although there is a large amount of drugs in the country already, said Permpong. Compared with the ‘War on Drug’ programme initiated by the ousted government of Thaksin Shinawatra in 2003, drug prices now have not increased while more addicts have received treatment and the drug problem is able to be contained due to official suppression, said Permpong. Previously, 87 groups of drug traffickers along the border were arrested, 17 state officials accused of being involved in smuggling were prosecuted, 41 drug smuggling groups were busted and money circulation worth over 2 billion baht at Mae Sot district bordering Myanmar was cut, Permpong told the meeting. (TNA)