DSI's probe on pseudoephedrine purchase from SKorea

BANGKOK, May 1 (TNA) - The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has sought cooperation from the South Korean Embassy in Bangkok to probe on Thailand's reported purchase of a large amount of pseudoephedrine-formulated cold pills from South Korea. DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit told journalists that his agency has set up a team of investigators, led by Police Colonel Akarapol Bunyopathtam, to collect all relevant information needed for the probe and the team visited the South Korean embassy in Bangkok on Monday to ask for information and documents on Thailand's pseudoephedrine orders from Seoul to see if any of them were linked with methamphetamine production, as pseudoephedrine is known to have been used as a precursor in the production of narcotics. Tharit acknowledged that there will also be an investigation on UTAC Thai Co Ltd, a supplier of integrated circuits suspected of having involved in the smuggling of the cold tablets from South Korea. UTAC Thai Co Ltd has earlier demand fair treatment by the government, claiming that its name had been stolen and branded as being involved in the alleged wrongdoing. Private hospitals and clinics in Thailand's northern Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces were earlier alleged of purchasing large quantities of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine, but no evidence has been found yet. Police Colonel Akarapol said that the investigation will officially kick start on May 6, followed by a meeting with relevant agencies on May 7 to track down those involving in the imports of pseudoephedrine-based cold pills. (TNA)