A suspected, major drug trafficker wanted in Singapore, has been arrested in the central Thai province of Samut Prakan, just outside Bangkok.
Nation Thailand reports that the Thai authorities tracked down 28 year old Benny Kee Soon Chuan in the Bang Plee district on Tuesday, September 17. Chuan is wanted for mailing drugs to Singapore and Australia.
Panurat Lakboon from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board says his office was contacted by Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau on August 12. The Singaporean authorities told their Thai counterparts that an arrest warrant had been issued for Chuan, but he had fled to Thailand.
The ONCB then liaised with the Thai Immigration Bureau to track Chuan’s movements and discovered that he was living a life of luxury while seemingly not earning an income. The authorities raided the suspect’s rented house and seized a total of 26 items, including luxury watches and bags, gold ornaments, and a luxury car.
According to the authorities, Chuan was a frequent traveller to Thailand, sometimes using his Singaporean passport to enter, and at other times, entering illegally via natural crossings.
It’s understood that earlier this year, he arrived in Thailand on a Vanuatu passport, in a bid to avoid detection.
Before being extradited to Singapore, Chuan will be prosecuted for overstaying his Thai visa.
In his home country, he faces charges of posting drugs from Thailand to Singapore and Australia, for which he could receive a life sentence or the death penalty. It’s understood the drugs include crystal meth, ketamine, and ecstasy.
He is also suspected of being involved in 2 drug cases in which two Singaporean nationals were arrested in 2021 and 2022.
In June 2021, Teo Zhi Jie was arrested after a package he tried to send through the post to Singapore was intercepted and found to contain crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, and ketamine.
In March 2022, Wee Ping Adrian Peh was arrested for a November 2021 attempt to send crystal methamphetamine through the post to Australia.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
