SIX ARRESTED IN RAIDS ON HILLTRIBE VILLAGES

Six hilltribe men have been charged with possessing methamphetamines and
guns after separate raids on Tuesday on three villages in two border districts.

More than 200 local and border patrol police raided 21 houses at Ban
Chedikhoh, a Hmong village, in Mae Sot district after a tip-off.

Yeng Chantaramonthon, 29, Sitthichai Saengma, 36, and Seng Kamolpranee, 39,
were arrested. A shotgun, a 9mm pistol, a 7.65mm pistol and ammunition were
seized from them along with about 500,000 baht tainted with small pieces of
methamphetamines.

At another house, police found a secret underground chamber rigged with a
closed-circuit television system. A tunnel lead to an area outside the house.

Sniffer dogs found the money hidden in a pillow.

Several bank passbooks, five pick-up trucks and a memo about a transaction
involving seven million baht were seized. On the same day, Phop Phra police
raided Ban Rom Klao 1 and 2 villages along Phop Phra-Umphang highway.

Jueyang sae Han, 65, Chao sae Wang, 40, and Jaha Saengchan, 30, were nabbed
after police found speed pills, opium and a357mm pistol at their homes.

Pol Lt-Col Torsak Pimpisuth, who led the arrest team in Mae Sot, said the
drugs were kept at the houses en route to Burma. One of the villages was a
hideout for two wanted drug dealers, who managed to flee.