Nigerian arrested for cocaine in Patong

PHUKET: A Nigerian man has been arrested after he was found in possession of 11.85 grams of cocaine in Patong just after midnight early Saturday morning (Aug 5).

Officers moved in and arrested the Nigerian, named by police as “Chidi Thedus Matthiew”, 30, on Soi Nanai 9 at 00:30am, according to a police report.

He was taken to Patong Police Station and charged with possession of Category 2 drug with intent to sell.

In making the arrest officers also seized a mobile phone and a Honda City ZX.

Matthiew’s arrest followed that of Mohammed El Khalil, 25, by Lt Col Sutthichai Thieanpho together with a team of officers from Phuket Provincial Police.

El Khali was also charged with possession of a Category 2 drug, reportedly also cocaine. However, the place, date and time of his arrest and his nationality were not reported.

Also of note is that on the “arrest board” El Khalil was named as “Mohammed Elkhaeit”, age 30.

The two arrests came as police continued their ongoing anti-drug and crime campaign, with the arrests of Sarawut “Beer” Rammasoon, 27, and Naka “Thep” Pan-ngam, 21, at a house in Soi Kingkaew 2 in Rassada at 4:40pm on Thursday (Aug 3).

The pair were found possession of 436.6g of crystal meth (ya ice) as well as two handguns, a zip gun and a variety of bullets.

They were taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with possession of Category 1 drug with intent to sell. Naka was also charged with illegal possession of firearm.

Continuing their investigation after the arrest of Sarawut, police on Friday (Aug 4) arrested Aphichart “Boy” Siriwongsamphan, 37, at 3:30pm in front of Phuket Grocery near the Nimit Circle, also called the Ma Nam (Seahorse) traffic circle, in Phuket Town.

In making the arrest police seized 652 ya bah pills, 28.1g of ya ice, an Isuzu pickup truck and a mobile phone.

Aphichart was taken to Phuket City Police Station, where he was charged with possession of Category 1 drug with intent to sell.