Over 80 million baht in assets seized from heroine network in Thai north

CHIANG MAI, Oct 16 (TNA) -- Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) seized more than 80 million baht worth of assets of a large heroine smuggling syndicate in the Thai northern province of Chiang Mai. ONCB Secretary-general Narong Rattananugul, together with Chiang Mai Governor Pawin Chamniprasart, and Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5 Pol Lt Gen Tanitsak Teerasawat, as well as concerned agencies announced the confiscation of assets belonging to a large drugs syndicate in the San Kamphaeng district of Chiang Mai, which is believed as being a part of a drug smuggling network of Kittiphan Akesuriyachok or Veerpol Laomee, a suspect for illegal drugs trafficking, whom was previously arrested. Authorities also confiscated the house belonging to the suspect located in San Sai district, bringing the total value of the assets seized to over 80 million baht. The ONCB secretary said that the suspect is believed to be the leader of one of the largest drugs smuggling networks in the northern region, dealing mostly heroine to its clients. He said that it had taken the police four years to slowly crumble the illegal network down and made the arrest of the criminal four moths ago. According to additional report, the suspect has been covering his tracks by assuming other people's identity to escape capture, where the police said he has been carrying out money laundering operations as well. (TNA)