Phuket Drugs Crim Plotted to Use Grenade on Rival Gang

PHUKET: The connection between weapons and Phuket's drugs trade was exposed today when Phuket police arrested a man in possession of a grenade.

Officers raided a house in Thepkasattri at 4.30am in pursuit of drugs and a drug gang and surprised a man out the front.

He grabbed a bag and ran as Thalang police approached but was apprehended soon after.

Police discovered that the bag contained a fragmentation grenade.

Somporn Rampung, 25, was free on bail in a case involving possession of 12 kilos of marijuana, officers discovered.

He told police that a ''Mr Petch'' had sold him the grenade, which came from Thailand's deep south, for 4000 baht.

He planned to use it on a rival drugs gang but added that weapons were often part of the currency in drugs deals.

Thalang Police Station Superintendent Colonel Witoon Kongsudjai said the fragmentation grenade could cause death or injury within a range of 10 to 15 metres if it exploded.