Chaiya Sayobphairee (Suppressing the Outlaws) Operation 60/1 against Xaysana, a major drug kingpin in ASEAN

News / View / AAITF

Tuesday 17th of January 2017

Chaiya Sayobphairee (Suppressing the Outlaws) Operation 60/1 against Xaysana, a major drug kingpin in ASEAN

           Following the order of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) no. 41/2557 dated 31 May 2014 regarding the suppression and deterring the widespread of narcotics to reduce the adverse impact on the general public and society, and the resolution of the meeting of H.E. Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Police Commissioner-General, Secretary-General of the Narcotics Control Board, Secretary-General of Anti-Money Laundering Office, Director-General of Royal Thai Customs to consider urgent measures for narcotics control; the Royal Thai Police assigned the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) to outline narcotics control measures emphasizing on substantially and continuously disconnecting drug syndicates.

            The Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) teamed up with concerned government agencies to conduct the “Chaiya Sayobphairee Operation 60/1”and arrested warranted offenders as well as confiscated assets of Mr.Xaysana Keopimpha’s syndicate, an international drug kingpin in ASEAN.

             For several years, Mr.Xaysana Keopimpha’s syndicate has continually trafficked narcotics to ASEAN countries. In the year 2016 only, Thai authorities arrested 4 cases of this drug syndicate with approximately 5 million methamphetamine tablets. The extended investigation resulted in arrest warrants from the court of justice of 9 more offenders and search warrants to confiscate assets in 36 premises. Therefore, the “Chaiya Sayobphairee Operation 60/1” was planned and launched during 19-21 January 2017.

              Outcome of the operation:

              1. Arrested Mr.Xaysana Keopimpha, a Laotian and 3 Thai offenders with arrest warrants.

              2. Confiscated 74 items of asset including 2 houses, 14 title deeds, 14 luxurious cars, 11 motorcycles, 2 tractors, 29 bank accounts, gold ornaments and cash (THB and USD) valued at 1.5 million baht. The total value of confiscated assets was approximately 100 million bath.

              Mr. Sayxana Keopimpa and his syndicate have operated the illicit drugs trafficking network within ASEAN region. This arrest of a major case reflected the remaining illicit drug trafficking that still affects countries in the region and ASEAN Member States need to strengthen closer cooperation in fighting against drugs. During 10-14 January 2017, ASEAN Member States attended the Meeting on ASEAN Cooperation Work Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in Golden Triangle.

              For this case, Thailand intensively cooperated with the Lao National Commission for Drug Control (LCDC) and Lao Police under the Safe Mekong Operation Project, to investigate this drug syndicate. Now LCDC has started to confiscate the assets of Mr.Sayxana Keopimpha in Lao PDR.