Authorities arrested “Mew,” the key figure in a large drug trafficking gang, after investigating Chumphon led to a raid on his residence and the seizure of numerous assets. The operation’s background involved a deceptive “feigning checkpoint closure” tactic that dismantled 519 kilograms of ice and nearly 15 million methamphetamine pills.
On 22 September 2026, the Chumphon Provincial Police investigation unit, led by Lieutenant Colonel Samart Tangromywilai, investigation officer of Mueang Chumphon Police Station, joined forces with officials from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board Region 3. Using warrants from Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Court, they raided a residence in Ban Mai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, capturing two key suspects under warrants: Waritphon, alias “Mew,” the major orchestrator, and Sarayut, who served as the driver guide.
Officials also seized multiple pieces of evidence and assets, including two pickup trucks used as lead vehicles, five classic-style Honda motorcycles (Honda Wave 125 and Honda LS models), five gold items, and a house with land valued at about 3 million baht. Both suspects confessed to all charges during arrest.
The arrest’s background traces to 13 May 2026, when Police Colonel Prinya Tandasuwan, head of investigations at Chumphon Provincial Police, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Piyaphon Chatphoom, chief of Pathomporn checkpoint at Mueang Chumphon Police Station, received a tip-off about a large drug shipment passing through the area. They devised a psychological strategy, ordering officers to withdraw from a stakeout and leave only two officers at the checkpoint, pretending to pack up and close it, misleading the drug convoy’s lead vehicle to believe the route was safe.
An Isuzu D-Max pickup truck with a covered bed, registered in Bangkok, entered as planned. Officers then surrounded and arrested 23-year-old Sitthi and 28-year-old Thanyarath. Searching the covered bed revealed 12 black sacks hidden under green plastic chairs, containing 519 packages of “Golden Horse” brand ice, weighing 519 kilograms. The suspects admitted they were hired to transport the drugs from Nakhon Nayok to Songkhla to smuggle them into Malaysia, earning 50,000–100,000 baht per trip. They were deceived by the lead vehicle’s signal that Pathomporn checkpoint was nearly closed, leading to their arrest.
Subsequently, Police Major General Jitkasem Sonkham, Chief of Chumphon Provincial Police, and Police Colonel Den Duang Thongsrisuk, Deputy Chief, ordered the investigation team to intensify questioning of Sitthi. This led to clues identifying two large drug warehouses in central Thailand. Coordinated raids followed, including on 26 May 2026, when Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Police arrested Thephat and three others, seizing 6.8 million methamphetamine pills at a warehouse in Krajiew Subdistrict, Phachi District. On 9 July 2026, Narcotics Suppression Division 3 raided a warehouse in Pra Achan Subdistrict, Ongkharak District, Nakhon Nayok Province, arresting Patipan and four others and seizing another 7,978,000 methamphetamine pills. In total, over 14.7 million pills were confiscated in these follow-up operations.
Following the large seizures of 519 kilograms of ice and nearly 15 million methamphetamine pills, authorities compiled evidence linking the entire command and network. Warrants were issued, leading to the raid and arrest of “Mew,” the main mastermind, at his residence in Nakhon Ratchasima. Police are continuing deep investigations to track down higher-level financiers to prosecute under the law.