THREE HELD WITH TWO TONNES OF CAFFEINE

Three people were arrested yesterday in Mae Sot district for possessing
caffeine weighing over two tonnes, police said.

Somporn Tamma, 30, Booncherd Tamma, 27, and Wiron Netkrut, 36, were on
their way to deliver caffeine and other goods in Tha Song Yang district.

They were stopped at a checkpoint on the Mae Sot-Mae Tao road and
authorities found over two tonnes of caffeine powder in rice sacks and
paper boxes hidden under a layer of other goods.

Caffeine, one of the substances used to make methamphetamines, has been
declared a restricted substance in 32 districts in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai,
Mae Hong Son, Tak, Phayao and Nan provinces.

The confiscated amount could have been used to manufacture up to 40 million
speed pills.

A narcotics official said yesterday the suspects picked up the goods from
Makro supercentre on Chaeng Wattana road in Bangkok on Friday night.

They claimed that they were hired for 10,000 baht by Hmong people in Phop
Phra district to collect the goods in Bangkok and deliver them to a border
area in Tha Song Yang.

The truck they were travelling in was brand new and the down payment was
paid by Hmong people, the narcotics official quoted one of the suspects as
saying.

Meanwhile, customs officials here yesterday destroyed 180 kilos of
magnesium stearate seized from a rented house in Tha Song Yang district
last year.

The magnesium stearate, imported from Italy, could have been used to
produce up to 70 million speed pills.

Also destroyed were three tonnes of garlic confiscated from the rented house.

Imports of garlic were banned by the Commerce Ministry as part of a crop
price support scheme for local farmers.