Confirmation of the decline in drug arrests came at a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Drug Prevention and Solution Committee, chaired by Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Suwit Suriyawong, held at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Sept 30).
At the meeting were a host of leading law enforcement officers, including Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Pol Col Aknit Danpitaksan and officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board Region 8 branch.
Key discussions focused on policies and measures for drug prevention and control in the province. The committee reviewed the drug situation, analysed surveillance data, and discussed the progress of the drug control action plan for fiscal year 2024.
The meeting also assessed the results of enforcement efforts, drug treatment initiatives, and administrative measures.
According to the latest figures, there were 2,115 drug-related arrests in the first 10 months of the fiscal year (that is, since Oct 1 last year).
Cases involving methamphetamine pills (ya bah) accounted for the majority, with 1,486 arrests, followed by 574 arrests for crystal meth (ya ice), 16 for heroin and 14 for cocaine.
In July alone, 140 ya bah-related arrests were made, along with 59 for ya ice, two for heroin, and four for cocaine. When compared to 2023, the overall number of drug arrests has decreased, said an official report of the meeting.