Shan drug lord arrest across from Chiang Rai

Shan drug lord wanted by China for murder of 13 boat crew members on the Mekong sent to China immediately after arrest in Laos.

Photo above of suspected Shan drug lord Norkham: Wanted in three countries.

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ORGANISED CRIME

Shan drug lord suspect nabbed in Laos, sent to China

27/04/2012
Chinpat Chaimon & Subin Kheunkaew

Jai Norkham, a suspected drug kingpin on Thai authorities' most-wanted list and the man believed to hold crucial information about the murder of 13 Chinese boat crew members on Oct 5 last year, has been arrested in Laos.

Norkham, who is an ethnic Shan and alleged to be a former aide of late drug kingpin Khun Sa, ex-leader of the defunct Mong Tai Army rebel group, was captured along with seven other people yesterday, a Thai security source said.

Norkham, his Lao close aide Tao Maitaeng, and six others were detained during a raid by Lao authorities in Ban Mom in Tonpheung district of Bokeo province of Laos in the early hours of yesterday, the source said.

Bokeo province is just opposite Chiang Rai in Thailand.

The Lao government did not reveal further details about the arrest of Norkham and the seven other suspects, but said they were taken to China immediately after their arrest, the source said.

Chiang Rai police chief Surachet Thopoonyanont said it is understood there was an agreement between the Lao and Chinese governments regarding the extradition of Norkham.

Pol Col Surachet said Thailand could still ask to later take Norkham from China to face charges in Thailand because a number of arrest warrants for him have already been issued here in connection with previous drug cases.

Prior to the arrest of Norkham, his mistress, whose name was not revealed, was arrested in Ban Luang Saenjai on April 13 in the same Lao district, allegedly in possession of one million methamphetamine pills, 1kg of gold, and 74 million baht cash, another source said.

However, about 44 million baht was later reported to be missing when the money was handed over to Laos' Bokeo authorities by the team which made the arrest, the source said.

Since the 13 corpses of Chinese boat crew members were found last October along with an SK47 rifle, and 920,000 methamphetamine pills, Norkham has become the Chinese authorities' most wanted criminal suspect.

Norkham was wanted not only by Chinese authorities but also their Myanmar counterparts who had information that he was allegedly involved in a drug smuggling gang operating between Thailand and Myanmar.

Nine Thai soldiers have also been charged with murdering and concealing the corpses because police believed they were in some way linked with Norkham's gang.

(Source: Bangkok Post, ORGANISED CRIME, Shan drug lord suspect nabbed in Laos, sent to China, 27/04/2012, Chinpat Chaimon & Subin Kheunkaew, link) 

Drug Gangs Vocabulary

organized crime - a gang organization with an organized approach to making money through crime (See Wikipedia)

suspect (noun) - a person who is thought to have committed a crime ผู้ต้องสงสัย

Shan - Shan ethnic minority in Burma, a group of people living north of Thailand who speak a language related to Thai (See Wikipedia)

drug lord - a person who controls a large gang (organized crime) involved in the illegal drugs trade. "Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from the actual trade in drugs by several layers of underlings. The prosecution of drug lords is therefore usually the result of carefully planned infiltrations of their networks, often using informants from within the organization"(See Wikipedia)
drug lord suspect
Shan drug lord suspect

mistress - "a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually, but not always, secret. There is an implication that a mistress may be "kept"—i.e., that the lover is paying for some of the woman's living expenses" (See Wikipedia)
the drug lord's mistress

drug kingpin - Same as "drug lord"
suspected drug kingpin
suspected (adjective) - thought to be something เป็นที่สงสัย people believe that they might have done something wrong, but not yet proven

Khun Sa - (1934-2007) the most famous Shan drug lord (See Wikipedia)

Mong Tai Army - a former rebel army that operated along Thailand's northern borders led by the famous drug lord Khun Sa, associated with the Shan minority in Burma, "had up to 20 000 armed members and was one of the forces opposing the central government. It was also involved in drug trafficking" (See Wikipedia)

Golden triangle - the place along the Mekong River where Thailand, Laos and Burma meet (China just up the Mekong a short distance also) this area is a famous area for the illegal drug trade (See Wikipedia)

nab - catch a criminal; arrest a criminal 
nabbed - caught a criminal
drug lord suspect nabbed

Shan drug lord suspect nabbed in Laos, sent to China.

most-wanted list
crucial - very important because it effects the result of something สำคัญยิ่ง
crucial information
murder - the crime of intentionally killing a person ฆาตกรรม
crew - the people who work on a ship, aircraft, etc. ลูกเรือ
boat crew members

Jai Norkham, a suspected drug kingpin on Thai authorities' most-wanted list and the man believed to hold crucial information about the murder of 13 Chinese boat crew members on Oct 5 last year, has been arrested in Laos.

alleged - claimed to be true although not yet proven ที่ถูกกล่าวหา
aide - someone whose job is to help another person in their work ผู้ช่วย
late - dead ที่ล่วงลับไปแล้ว
former aide of late drug kingpin Khun Sa
defunct - no longer existing, operating or being used ถูกยุบ, หยุดทำงาน  หมดสภาพ
rebel - of people who try to remove a government or leader by force ผู้ก่อกบฏ to fight against the government or to refuse to obey rules, etc กบถ
the defunct Mong Tai Army rebel group
security - 1. related to the military and army; 2.  providing safety from attack, harm or damage ความปลอดภัย
source - someone who gives information to the media แหล่งข่าว
Thai security source - Thai military (army, navy or air force)

Norkham, who is an ethnic Shan and alleged to be a former aide of late drug kingpin Khun Sa, ex-leader of the defunct Mong Tai Army rebel group, was captured along with seven other people yesterday, a Thai security source said.

Bokeo province - the province in Laos next to the Mekong and the Golden Triangle (See Wikipedia)
detained - held in prison or jail (not free to leave and go where he wishes)
raid - to forcefully and suddenly enter a place to catch criminals or to search for something like drugs  ใช้กำลังเข้าค้นสถานที่หรือ จับกุมคนร้าย บุกเข้าจับ เข้าบุก
detained during a raid
authorities - government officials; the police or people in official organisations who have the legal power to make people obey laws or rules เจ้าหน้าที่ (ตำรวจ หรือผู้มีอำนาจ)
Lao authorities - Lao government officials or police

Norkham, his Lao close aide Tao Maitaeng, and six others were detained during a raid by Lao authorities in Ban Mom in Tonpheung district of Bokeo province of Laos in the early hours of yesterday, the source said. Bokeo province is just opposite Chiang Rai in Thailand.

reveal - to show; to indicate; to let something be known เปิดเผยข้อมูลว่า to show something that was covered or hidden ทำให้ปรากฎ
reveal details about -
suspects - people who may have committed the crime, identified by the police ผู้ต้องสงสัย
immediately - happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
immediately after their arrest
extradition - to send someone accused of a crime back to the country where the crime was committed for trial or punishment การส่งตัวผู้ร้ายกลับประเทศเพื่อดำเนินการทางศาล  การส่งผู้ร้ายข้ามแดน  ถูกเนรเทศ

The Lao government did not reveal further details about the arrest of Norkham and the seven other suspects, but said they were taken to China immediately after their arrest, the source said. Chiang Rai police chief Surachet Thopoonyanont said it is understood there was an agreement between the Lao and Chinese governments regarding the extradition of Norkham.

charges - bring a criminal case against a person
face charges in Thailand
issued - made available ออกใหม่
arrests warrant
arrest warrants issued

Pol Col Surachet said Thailand could still ask to later take Norkham from China to face charges in Thailand because a number of arrest warrants for him have already been issued here in connection with previous drug cases.

revealed - made known or showed somthing that was surprising or that was previously secret เปิดเผย
allegedly - claimed to have done something wrong, but not yet proven ที่กล่าวหา
possession - having or owning something การครอบครอง

methamphetamine - a dangerous illegal drug in pill or tablet form (See Wikipedia)
allegedly in possession of one million methamphetamine pills
cash - money in the form of notes or coins เงินสด

Prior to the arrest of Norkham, his mistress, whose name was not revealed, was arrested in Ban Luang Saenjai on April 13 in the same Lao district, allegedly in possession of one million methamphetamine pills, 1kg of gold, and 74 million baht cash, another source said. However, about 44 million baht was later reported to be missing when the money was handed over to Laos' Bokeo authorities by the team which made the arrest, the source said.

corpses
rifle - a large gun with a long barrel that you hold against your shoulder to fire ปืนยาว, ปืนไรเฟิล
SK47 rifle
most wanted criminal suspect

Since the 13 corpses of Chinese boat crew members were found last October along with an SK47 rifle, and 920,000 methamphetamine pills, Norkham has become the Chinese authorities' most wanted criminal suspect.

wanted for murder -
counterparts - people or organisations with a similar function or position or function in different countries or organisations
smuggling - secretly and illegally taking goods or people into or out of a country ลักลอบขนสินค้าหรือคนเข้าและออกจากประเทศอย่างผิดกฎหมาย
conceal
concealing the corpses
linked - connected เชื่อมโยง เกี่ยวกับ
in some way linked with the gang.

Norkham was wanted not only by Chinese authorities but also their Myanmar counterparts who had information that he was allegedly involved in a drug smuggling gang operating between Thailand and Myanmar. Nine Thai soldiers have also been charged with murdering and concealing the corpses because police believed they were in some way linked with Norkham's gang.