Two suspects killed in drug bust

The car of a suspected drug dealer is blocked by police pickup trucks while he tried to escape from the pickup spot in Samut Prakan province on Friday night. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

SAMUT PRAKAN - Two drug suspects were killed in a gunfight with police in Bang Bo district on Saturday night following the arrests of six people with 610,000 methamphetamine pills in nearby Chachoengsao province, police said.

Earlier, a 30-strong Narcotic Suppression Bureau police raided a house in Prueksa 27 housing estate in tambon Khlong Udom Cholachorn in Muang district of Chachoengsao province after receiving information that it had been used to keep drugs.

During the raid, the police arrest six suspects -- three men and three women -- with 610,000 methamphetamine pills in four suitcases. While the police were at the house, a suspected drug dealer called them on a mobile phone, telling them to deliver to them 40,000 methamphetamine pills. This prompted the police to expand the arrests.

They instructed the suspects already in custody to tell the calling buyers that they would leave the pills near a signpost on a road along the Phra Ongcho Chaiyanuchit canal in tambon Preng in Samut Prakan's Bang Bo district in a rubber box to be picked up.

Police were then deployed around the spot.

At about 10pm, a red Mazda car with two men on board arrived at the spot. A man stepped out from the left front seat, picked up the rubber box and went back into the car. The police then showed up and told the two men to surrender. The driver sped the car in the direction of the police, trying to escape. But their car was blocked on both ends by two police pickup trucks.

The two men then opened fire and a firefight ensued. Both of them were killed in the clash.

The driver was identified as Jate Chantara, 46, and the other man Kasem Wongcharoen, 26. The police recovered a .22 revolver and a 9mm handgun from them.

A police officer, Pol Lt Kasem Chimpalee, was hit in the chest but was not hurt as he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.