Drug ring netted in Chon Buri

Alleged network leader Dawan Yudee, 68, and her husband Chaiyaporn Sricharang, 69, were arrested along with accomplices Chalerm Chewchaona, 69, Wesarat Chewchaona, 32, Sattha Chewchaona, 33, Somsri Chewchaona, 61, Nipaporn Panprasert, 26, Boonngam Boonlert, 43, and Urai Janjaroen, 57 at a checkpoint in Nakhon Sawan's Phayuha Khiri dsitrict on Friday afternoon.

Evidence seized was 60,900 ya ba tablets and one kilogram of "ice", reportedly wrapped around the women's waists, eight mobile phones and a white van, Pirapan told a press conference yesterday.

The Thai Navy's Drug Suppression Centre had since 2006 been on the track of the network led by the couple, who opened a religious-products shop and mini-mart as a cover, said Pirapan.

The couple took accomplices in a van, one to three times per month, to Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, where they crossed into Burma to gamble at casinos and pick up ya ba from the Wa State Army, he said. Officials also later seized the suspects' four houses, six cars, bank accounts, cash and gold ornaments worth Bt17 million in total, he added.