At 10:15 a.m. on April 1, at the Pramongdan Border Checkpoint in Sungai Kolok District, Narathiwat Province, law enforcement officials from the Thai and Malaysian authorities successfully intercepted two prominent drug traffickers attempting to flee.
The suspects, identified as 34-year-old Ilfan (surname withheld) from Yala Province and 23-year-old Mustakim (surname withheld) from Narathiwat Province, were apprehended based on arrest warrants issued by the Hua Hin Provincial Court on November 6, 2013, for drug trafficking offenses. The warrants accused them of distributing Category 1 drugs, specifically methamphetamine, with intent to distribute for commercial gain, leading to widespread distribution and impacting public safety and national security.
The arrests followed an accident involving a vehicle registered under Ilfan’s name that overturned along the Bypass Road, Cha-am-Pran Buri, at the southern slope of Mount 3 in Wang Phong Subdistrict, Pran Buri District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, on November 3, 2013. Upon inspection, authorities discovered 499 kilograms of methamphetamine and 100 kilograms of ketamine concealed within the vehicle.
Further investigations revealed that the vehicle was driven by Areep (surname withheld), aged 20, from Yala Province. Subsequently, after the accident, Ilfan and Mustakim, both fugitives, arrived in a Honda Accord sedan with a red license plate to pick up Areep. All three suspects then fled the scene.
Following their successful arrest, Ilfan and Mustakim were transported back to Thailand. Meanwhile, Areep, who had previously been apprehended, faced legal proceedings for his involvement in the drug trafficking case.
Following their return from Malaysia, the two suspects were received by their wives, who tearfully awaited their arrival. Local police officers recorded the arrest of the two fugitives before handing them over to the authorities at the Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Police Station to proceed with legal action.
