Pattaya police conducted a raid at a local pharmacy near Siam Country Club after they received disturbing reports of a string of teens coming and going from the shop at 1am this morning.
At Yindee Pharma, police discovered Supakaporn Pongcharoenpanich, 50, who runs the store but isn’t a registered pharmacist, with 40 bottles of narcotic A-Nadril Cough Syrup, which contains the controlled substance Bephendryl.
The bottles weren’t listed on any store inventory, as they legally should be.
Prior to raiding the pharmacy, police watched teenagers ride up and buy the cough syrup. Seven of them were later found and arrested. They all said they had colds but later admitted to mixing the medicine with kratom and drinking it.
Apparently, this potent cocktail brings on a blissful, drugged state and is locally known as “4×100” among Thais. It can be likened to the ghetto-fabulous Purple Drank favored by American rappers, but it’s made even stronger by adding kratom.
The cops said that locals had been contacting them about suspicious activities at the pharmacy and that it “seemed to be very popular with teenagers who had sore throats,” according to Pattaya One. The pharmacy was already on the police’s warning list.
Supakaporn has been charged with distribution of poisonous drugs, distribution of illegal drugs, and illegally distributing controlled drugs. The fine for each offence is up to THB5,000.
The seven teens and the pharmacist will be sent to trial.
