Alleged major drug trafficker Laota arrested

After two years of manhunt, narcotics police have finally arrested Laota Sanee, an alleged major drug trafficker of the Golden Triangle.

Pol Maj-Gen Sommai Kongvisaisook, acting commissioner of narcotics police, disclosed on Tuesday that Laota was apprehended along with 13 other suspects in Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai today.

The arrest of Laota and his men followed a sting operation in which undercover police, posing as buyers, offered to buy 20 kgs of crystal meth worth about 10 million baht from Laota’s gang and subsequent police raids.

Pol Maj-Gen Sommai said that it was very difficult for police to approach Laota because he was always surrounded by many Hmong tribesmen until Wednesday when police managed to nab him.

He said if Laota is allowed to go on with his illicit drug business, the latter would one day become a politician because he has many followers among his Hmong tribesmen and also money.

Laota allegedly operates several legitimate businesses from drug money which include hotel, restaurants, gas stations and housing estates in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces.

Alleged major drug trafficker Laota arrested - Thai PBS English News

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Originally Posted by misskit

He said if Laota is allowed to go on with his illicit drug business, the latter would one day become a politician because he has many followers among his Hmong tribesmen and also money.

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But somehow, he was not allowed to do so...

Nice to see cheap foreign imports wont suck seed

Former Khun Sa aide arrested, 20kg of ya ice seized | Bangkok Post: news

I thought that the police had been told to stop these photo op lineups of the accused.

At least, he wasn't arrested in PI, coz if he was, the news article would need infusions of blood, or an embalmer at the end bit.

Narcotic suppression police to cancel Laota press conference today

The Narcotics Suppression Bureau today cancelled its scheduled press conference on the arrest in Chiang Mai of a major drug trafficking gang in Bangkok after the suspects denied the drug charges.

The major drug trafficker Laota Sanlee denied the charge when narcotic suppression police raided his petrol station in Mae Ai district yesterday after his men delivered meths worth 11 million baht to an uncover police impersonated as a client.

All 14 suspects who included Laota, his wife and son, and employees at the petrol station were apprehended.

All were flown into Bangkok today to appear at the 2.00 pm press conference.

But the conference at 2.00 pm is called off by Royal Thai Police deputy commissioner Pol Gen Chalermkiat Srivorakan as the suspects denied the drug charges.

Laota insisted he had not engaged in drug but just do coffee farming.

Police will interrogate all the suspects again before the conference could be arranged again.

Narcotic suppression police to cancel Laota press conference today - Thai PBS English News

Police nab Laota’s son who dodged arrest for 13 years in major operation in Chiang Mai

A son of alleged northern drug kingpin Laota Sanlee who had dodged police manhunt for 13 years was arrested by police in a major coordinated operation in Mae Ai, Fang and Muang districts of Chiang Mai on Friday.

More than 250 police and military officers were involved in raids of 27 targets in the three districts which include houses, petrol station, orange and coffee plantations and lychee orchards belonging to children and relatives of Laota Sanlee who was booked by police about two weeks ago.

Although no illegal items were found in the multiple raids, police seized official documents which police suspected might link to the ill-gotten properties earlier confiscated by police from the alleged drug kingpin.

Police stumbled on Banyat Sanlee, a son of Laota, in an expensive room at Sopon Mansion apartment belonging to his wife, Mrs Yuwadee. A warrant for the arrest of Banyat was issued by the provincial court 13 years ago, but he had dodged police manhunt for years until his arrest on Friday.

Police seized bank books of Mrs Yuwadee.

Pol Maj-Gen Poonsap Prasertsak, deputy commissioner of 5th Region Provincial Police Bureau, said police were in the process of impounding five houses, a coffee plantaion and a lychee orchard from the Sanlee family.

The family has claimed that the plantations were located on land they rented from the National Park, Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department. But Poonsap said if it was discovered that the land was sub-rented from other people, the plantations would be frozen.

Police nab Laota?s son who dodged arrest for 13 years in major operation in Chiang Mai |