AFTER months of monitoring and tracking a Russian drug suspect who worked as a DJ at various Koh Phangan entertainment venues, a team of Tourist Police arrested him over the weekend after seizing several types of drugs that were ordered and received via AI, Amarin TV said today (Mar. 9).
Pol. Lt. Col. Vinit Boonchit, inspector of Tourist Police Division 5, Sub-division 2, had been tipped off that a foreign man who lived in the island’s garbage dump alley was selling drugs to tourists.
After ascertaining that the suspect, Mr. Anton (surname withheld), 41, a Russian national, was distributing drugs on the island, a team of police chased him as he drove down a road in a sedan. However the suspect sped down a side street and swerved erratically as if under influence of drugs and was finally caught up and arrested at Hua Thien Pier.
The suspect admitted to having consumed cocaine before leaving home with a follow-up search of his unmarked residence revealing a large cache of drugs intended for sale, including:
– Two amounts of cocaine, weighing 109.06 and 6.63 grammes;
– Two amounts of Ketamine, weighing 1.67 and 9.70 grammes;
– 4.42 grammes of Ecstasy (MDMA) in crystal form and 5 tablets.
Anton confessed to selling drugs to tourists at various entertainment venues where he worked as a DJ. He used a sophisticated method of ordering the drugs via Telegram application using an account named “TDS24.”
He revealed that the AI system responded automatically and after selecting the drugs, payment was made via credit card. AI then sent GPS coordination and he simply went to the location and dug up the buried drugs.
Pol. Lt. Col. Vinit added that the suspect was also selling a new drug, “Art Toy,” shaped like a wolf’s face, containing 2C-B, methamphetamine, and Ketamine. It comes in bright orange, brown, or purple colours resembling candy to attract teenagers and partygoers.
Laboratory analysis revealed “Art Toy” has high concentration of MDMA, often mixed with other substances such as Ketamine, cocaine, and caffeine. The combination of these drugs increases its potency and can be life-threatening.
This is a new type of drug, a new mixture of several ingredients, highly dangerous and potentially fatal, Pol. Lt. Col. Vinit added.
This suspect is considered to be a major drug dealer on this island who has been evading arrest for a long time, even during the raid some foreign customers contacted him asking to buy drugs, he said.
CAPTION:
The Russian suspect being arrested on Koh Phangan and the drugs seized from him. Photo – Amarin TV
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