A search of the main building housing a grocery shop did not yield any contraband except for a motorbike that police suspect had been used in a theft.

Four people including Nawarat Papol, 28, and a Laotian man in his 30s were arrested after being caught with a “yaba” pill and drug paraphernalia during a search of a rented house nearby.

Another suspect jumped from the second floor of the rented house to escape the raid.

The team of 40 commandos was assisted by a canine unit for the raid, at 6am, after the issuing of a search warrant on Sunday.

The raid followed the arrest of two suspects who allegedly confessed to theft, the proceeds of which they planned to use to buy illegal drugs from a dealer who resided in the targeted houses.

The two men – identified as Kittisak Phantha, 33 and Suthep Hanjaithai, 43 – were arrested while stealing 41 valuable items worth Bt500,000 in the area of Soi Chokchai 4 on Sunday.