Kratom operation targeted in Hat Yai
Police in Hat Yai have raided an illegal kratom drink operation running a loyalty card scheme promoting “buy 10 bottles, get one free.” The operation was located in a rented house on Soi 6/1, Khukrit Road, Khlong Hae sub-district, a community known as a red zone for drug trafficking.
The raid was conducted by anti-narcotics officers from Hat Yai Police Station and Border Patrol Police Unit 437, under the direction of Pol Col Thammarat Phetnongchum and Pol Lt Col Baramet Yoddaeng. Officers arrested 32-year-old operator Adisorn Senthanu, known as “Nook.”
Authorities seized 138 litres of kratom tea, 22 bottles of cough syrup, seven packs of foreign cigarettes, and 22,430 baht in cash, along with brewing equipment including gas cylinders, pots, strainers, and containers. The operation had been marketing its drinks through stamp cards for repeat customers.
Investigators noted that while kratom is legal under Thai regulations, its illegal processing and sale often connect it to the broader illicit drug trade.
Methamphetamine hidden in bra leads to arrest
In a related incident, police arrested 25-year-old Suttikan “Karn” Chanthong after discovering she concealed crystal meth and methamphetamine pills in her bra while attending a concert in Hat Yai. She is the wife of Adisorn Senthanu and had previously been arrested in the same area for drug possession.
A joint task force observed her outside a local grocery shop when a bag of crystal meth slipped from her belongings. During a search, female officers found 11 small bags of crystal meth weighing 9.5 grams in the right side of her bra and 61 methamphetamine tablets on the left.
During questioning, Suttikan admitted selling drugs for nearly a year. Meth pills were sold at three for 100 baht, and crystal meth at 100 baht per gram. She stated she had brought the drugs along to meet customers in the Saphan Dam community after the concert.
She now faces charges for possession and intent to distribute Category 1 narcotics.
Authorities emphasize ongoing risks
Police highlighted the case as evidence of the persistent connection between seemingly legal substances, such as kratom, and the wider illicit drug network in southern Thailand. The operation underscores the importance of continued vigilance in red zones and the challenges law enforcement faces in combating drug distribution disguised as legitimate products.