Phuket sweep seizes crystal meth, pills and firearms as authorities report 19 suspects
Security operations across Phuket from 6 to 10 August 2026 resulted in drug and firearm seizures, arrests and referrals for rehabilitation, authorities reported.
Phuket authorities reported seizing crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills and firearms during security operations from 6 to 10 August 2026, in a sweep reported to have involved 19 suspects.
The latest operation took place late on 10 August, when the Phuket Provincial Administration’s Maneekram special operations unit raided a suspected drug den after officers conducted a sting operation and purchased drugs from a target. The target, who rented the house, escaped.
Authorities reported one person to Kathu Police and said five others agreed to undergo drug rehabilitation. Officers seized seven bags containing about 28.19 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, six bags containing 260 methamphetamine pills, a 12-gauge single-barrel shotgun, one round of ammunition, a firearm scope and a sword.
The escaped suspect faces charges of possessing Category 1 narcotics for sale and selling drugs for commercial purposes, with the alleged offences involving a weapon. The suspect also faces charges relating to possession of an unregistered firearm and ammunition without a permit.
In a separate checkpoint operation in Koh Kaew, Mueang Phuket, officials stopped a BMW and found a CZ handgun concealed under the driver’s seat. The magazine contained 30 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The driver, identified only as Nat, 29, could not produce a firearms licence or a permit to carry the weapon. He was arrested and handed over to Phuket City Police.
Other operations included a checkpoint in Thalang on 10 August, where no illegal items were found but urine tests detected narcotics in 11 people. They agreed to treatment and community service, while authorities said they would continue investigating to identify drug suppliers.
A checkpoint in Pa Khlok on 9 August also found no illegal items, but eight people tested positive for narcotics and were referred for treatment and community service. In Mueang Phuket on 8 August, officers at three checkpoints arrested two people for alleged possession of methamphetamine and referred two others identified as drug users for rehabilitation.
A separate operation in Mueang Phuket on 6 August resulted in the arrest of a female suspect, while eight people voluntarily entered rehabilitation. Another male suspect was arrested in Talat Yai with 4.48 grammes of methamphetamine. Authorities said he faces charges of selling methamphetamine, drug consumption and driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
Officials also checked six entertainment venues and businesses in Mueang Phuket on 8 August and reported no violations. In Kathu, they set up a checkpoint on the route to Patong on 10 August before patrolling Bangla Road. No illegal items were found during those operations.
The campaign follows orders from the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Provincial Administration for authorities nationwide to strengthen controls on firearms and narcotics, establish checkpoints and increase patrols to prevent violence and crime. Phuket authorities said the operations would continue under the government’s 90-day drug suppression campaign, with areas identified as potential gathering points for drug users monitored.
