Cops launch major drug blitz

       Senior police say they are about to swoop on stashes of more than 100 million speed pills hidden in Bangkok apartments.
       Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and the Internal Security Operations Command have been sent to search for the methamphetamine pills which they say are about to be delivered to customers and dealers in Bangkok and other provinces, Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pongsan Jiam-on said.
       Police have searched 441 communities classified as red zones for rampant drug use to arrest users who would be sent to rehabilitation treatment centres.
       Pol Maj Gen Pongsan also expressed concern over the spread of "ice" in Bangkok. The illicit drug, a crystallised form of methamphetamine, was popular with wealthy drug users, he said.
       Police have arrested three men and seized 6kg of ice in the biggest haul in 10 years.
       Suthee sae Ping, also known as Neung Trokchan, 23, Sitthichai (Sith) Chotithevachop,25, and Detdamrong (James)Wichian,24, were arrested in separate raids on Sunday and yesterday. Police said they seized six packages of ice weighing 6kg, a Toyota sedan, two mobile phones and two bags. The drugs had a face value of more than 24 million baht, police said.
       Mr Suthee was the first suspect to be caught, at a parking lot at Big C Superstore's Hua Mark branch on Sunday night. Police said he was caught as he was about to leave in his car. Police found two packages of ice in his car.
       Police said Mr Suthee admitted he was hired by a man identified as Ek to deliver the drugs. They said Mr Suthee had delivered the drugs twice and received 20,000 baht for each delivery.
       His confession led to the arrest of the other two suspects. Mr Sitthichai and Mr Detdamrong were arrested at a house at Sammakorn housing estate in Bangkok's Saphan Sung district yesterday. Police searched the house and found four packages of ice.
       Metropolitan Police Division 4 deputy superintendent Mantharn Apaiwong said it was the biggest ice haul in 10 years.