Top officials linked to drug ring

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      Top officials linked to
      drug ring

      A fugitive accused of leading a major
      amphetamines syndicate is the key to a lot
      of stunning secrets. Preecha Sa-ardsorn
      reports. 

      DESPITE the intensive manhunt for him
      following a high-profile shootout with with
      police, Surachai ''Bang Ron''
      Ngernthongfoo has disappeared into thin
      air. 

      Investigators suspect that Surachai, wanted
      in connection with amphetamine trafficking,
      is on the run both from the law and his
      fellow traffickers who belong to one of the
      country's top 10 drugs syndicates. 

      If caught, Surachai could unmask one of the
      most powerful of the many amphetamine
      production and trafficking gangs, which is
      said to include hundreds of influential
      civilians, police and military officers,
      including at least two Army major generals. 

      One key investigator speculated that
      Surachai fears being apprehended by the
      syndicate members more than being
      nabbed by the police. 

      In the latest discovery, Police Assistant
      Commissioner-General Nopadol
      Somboonsap said investigators had
      uncovered evidence of a Bt9-million bank
      transfer from Surachai to a major general
      ''Ch'' who is currently attached to the
      Supreme Command Headquarters. 

      Nopadol, a veteran of the drug squad,
      revealed that the investigators view such
      financial connections as evidence of how
      widespread the network of Surachai's
      amphetamine ring actually is. 

      Although Surachai expanded his illicit
      activities into the formidable drug ring more
      than three years ago, he only came into the
      limelight following the shoot-out with police
      on Oct 15. 

      In a pre-dawn raid, drugs police, who were
      staked out all night at Surachai's residence
      in Nong Chok, tried to pursue a pick-up
      truck which was believed to be transporting
      amphetamines before it disappeared into
      the high security compound. 

      Gang members put up stiff resistance,
      exchanging fire and throwing three
      grenades at police. The gun fight left three
      policemen injured while a gang member
      was shot dead. 

      Surachai, an unidentified relative and aide
      Yossapan Suksawai managed to escape
      while three gang members, Koded
      Suksawai, Prasart Sukkho and Wongkrod
      Kasemsak, were arrested. 

      Police were initially puzzled as to why
      several highly-trained dogs had failed to
      uncover the amphetamine cache. Some
      hours later they found 758,000
      amphetamine tablets hidden under bear
      cages, the odor masked by bear urine and
      excreta. 

      They also discovered Bt1.3 million in cash
      and records of contacts, trafficking
      activities and other business transactions
      kept in a safe. 

      The evidence uncovered indicated that
      Surachai was an astute drug kingpin who
      spread his wealth around generously to win
      cooperation from local police and
      authorities. 

      Within three years, Surachai rose from
      being a relatively unknown thug to control
      an estimated Bt500-million amphetamine
      syndicate. 

      The suspect, a farmer's son, might have
      been given his ''big break'' after he worked
      his way up to become a close aide to ''Ch''
      who was then a powerful military officer
      based in Lop Buri. 

      Police are still investigating how ''Ch'' and
      Surachai got involved with the production
      and trafficking of amphetamines, though
      they suspect that the alleged use of military
      helicopters to transport amphetamines from
      Lop Buri to Surachai's Nong Chok house
      and to his resort in Kanchanaburi's Thong
      Pha Phum district was a key factor that
      helped the illicit drug ring to grow by leaps
      and bounds. 

      According to a source close to the
      investigation, the illicit drugs were often
      concealed in 200-litre oil drums which
      would be dumped from the passing
      helicopters, on training missions, at
      pre-determined locations. 

      ''Ch'', whom Surachai referred to as his
      father, introduced the trafficker to his
      military friend Maj Gen ''P'', who is a
      ranking officer in the Fourth Army. 

      Police believe that knowing ''P'', also an
      owner of a container transport business,
      allowed Surachai to become a major
      amphetamine supplier for southern Muslim
      youth. 

      The syndicate later expanded its
      operations to smuggling amphetamines
      across the southern border, investigators
      said. 

      In addition to the South, Surachai ran his
      syndicate to dominate amphetamine
      trafficking in eastern provinces, where he
      has houses in Rayong and Chanthaburi,
      and the western province of Kanchanaburi. 

      Prior to the shoot-out in Nong Chok, drug
      authorities found 6,000 amphetamine
      tablets hidden in Surachai's private office in
      Thong Pha Phum during an Oct 5 raid. 

      The authorities were surprised to discover
      that many ranking local police were friends
      of the suspect. 

      Pol Maj Sompong Ningnuk, a Thong Pha
      Phum inspector, was driving a Mercedes
      Benz which Surachai had loaned him. After
      he was taken into custody on charges of
      acting as an accomplice to the suspect,
      Sompong denied involvement in the drug
      ring even though he conceded he knew
      Surachai. 

      The investigation into Surachai's
      amphetamine trafficking in Kanchanaburi
      has led to the questioning of several
      policemen, including Pol Capt Somchai
      Pipatkul. 

      Pending a further probe, several Nong
      Chok policemen were removed from duty.
      Pol Col Marut Channual, chief of the local
      police, was transferred to an inactive post
      while investigator Pol Capt Suthin Sri-udom
      and SWAT policeman Nithes Saengrit
      were dismissed on charges of disciplinary
      violations.