THE NATION: Drug suspect on way to

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Politics 

      Drug suspect on way to US

      THAILAND plans to extradite a member of the notorious
      Burmese drug warlord Khun Sa's gang to the United
      States following the Appeals Court's decision Monday to
      uphold an earlier verdict by a lower court. 

      The Appeals Court ruled in favour of extraditing Chukiat
      Nimitphakphum, 71, also known as Na Chaikhui, for
      trafficking 1,000 to 2,000 kilogrammes of heroin to the US
      between 1987 to 1989. 

      The US authorities sent an official request to the Thai
      government on Jan 10, 1995, asking that Chukiat be
      allowed to stand trial in Pennsylvania State for smuggling
      heroin, worth an estimated US$4 billion. 

      The US prosecution has filed a case with the Pennsylvania
      Court alleging that Chukiat and some other accomplices
      trafficked heroin into the country through Mexico. 

      Thai police arrested Chukiat on Nov 27, 1995, in his home
      town of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai province. However, the
      accused has vehemently denied the US charges claiming
      he has never been to America or Mexico. 

      Chukiat also denied being a chemist and an expert in
      heroin processing. 

      Pol Gen Phiphop Biewkhaimuk testified in court against
      Chukiat saying he is an expert chemist who processed
      and distributed heroin in foreign countries. The police
      officer said he knew the man because he had arrested
      him once at the end of 1989 for possession of opium but
      the accused had escaped after being granted bail. 

      Phiphop said besides the sale of drugs, Chukiat also
      dealt in war weapons and manufacturing of heroin for
      Khun Sa's army in Burma's Shan State. 

      The Nation