Police have arrested the two men who escaped a locked cage while being transported to Phuket Court on drug charges earlier this month after one of them fell through a ceiling to the surprise of officers raiding the house.
Fugitives Suriya Lakpet and Wasurat Mulikabut, both 21, managed to free themselves from their handcuffs and kick open the door to the cage on the back of a Chalong Police pickup truck while being transported to Phuket Provincial Court to face drug charges on May 3.
The men had been arrested on drug-possession charges in Rawai the day before.
Suriya and Wasurat were said to have made their getaway via Soi Paisan on Chao Fa East Road, close to Dowroong Wittaya School, while trying to look inconspicuous on a blue bicycle.
Maj. Ritthichai Chumchuay, of the Phuket Provincial Police, explained that the arrests came yesterday Wednesday after Suriya literally fell through the ceiling of a home in Wichit that his officers were raiding for drugs after receiving a tip-off.
At the house, officers found Panuwat Yaifai, 27, in possession of 16.9 grams of crystal meth, 2.04 grams of marijuana and a homemade pen gun designed to fire .22-caliber bullets, Maj. Ritthichai reported.
Little did officers know that the fugitive Suriya was in the same home, and that he managed to evade arrest by scrambling to hide in the ceiling.
However, unluckily for Suriya, the ceiling panel supporting him broke, sending him crashing down to land with a thump in the room below. Grateful for their heaven-sent suspect, officers placed him under arrest.
Adding to their luck, while they were still at Panuwat’s abode, young Panuphon Ariyajirakul, 16 years old, turned up. A quick search of his person revealed that he was carrying seven pills of yaba.
Panuwat and Panuphon were both taken to Wichit Police Station, where Panuphon was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug. Panuwat was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug (ya ice), possession of Category 5 drug (marijuana) with intent to sell, and possession of firearm without a permit.
Suriya was taken to Phuket City Police Station and was charged with escaping custody.
During questioning, Suriya told police that Wasurat – his partner in escaping the suspect transport van on May 3 – might be at his lover’s rented place at Honsaithong Community near the fishing port area of Rassada, on the east side of Phuket Town.
Police moved quickly and arrested Wasurat at his fishing village love nest at 7:30pm.
The pair told police that they freed themselves from their handcuffs with a key given to them by a foreigner being transported to the court in the same vehicle, reported Maj. Ritthichai.
Of note, there were 12 suspects – all men – in the police pickup cage at the time, but no one else fled.
Story: The Phuket News
