Fights against ‘drugs behind bars’ continue in Thai North

BANGKOK, May 19 (TNA) - More drugs and prohibited items have been seized, after Saturday’s police raid at the Central Prison in Thailand's northern Chiang Mai Province. Some 600 police officers, directed by Chiang Mai Governor Mom Luang Panadda Diskul, searched through cells and other areas in the prison compound, which houses a total of about 4,200 inmates, and found many prohibited items, including sharp items, lighters and narcotic equipments. Today's raid was part of Chiang Mai authorities’ efforts to eliminate drug trade behind bars in the province, in which a total of 47 mobile phones and some 200 methamphetamine pills have been seized over the past 8 months. Chief of Chiang Mai's Central Prison Pirun Norkaew acknowledged that parts of the drugs were found to have been brought into the prison in food and other items from visitors, and that from May 2012 onward, his prison, therefore, prohibits visitors to bring any parcel or item to inmates. According to the prison chief, phone signals have also been blocked in the Chiang Mai prison’s special zone housing some 75 prisoners who are convicted of serious drug offences, while concerned authorities will continue carrying out the drug search at the provincial prison every month. (TNA)