Narcotics Suppression Bureau deputy commissioner Pol Maj-General Pornchai Charoenwong said that Lao police arrested Sisouk on Saturday in the neighbouring country’s Luang Prabang province after he resisted many police summonses for him to surrender.

“We have told Laos about the links between the two men. They have been in the same drug-trafficking network,” Pornchai said in a press conference.

“We have requested the Laotian side allow us to join the interrogation of Sisouk.”

He said he had heard that although Sisouk did not have any illicit drugs in his possession at the time of his arrest, his financial transactions were linked to the drug trade.

Thai and Lao authorities have been cracking down on an international drug network involving kingpin Xaysana, a Laotian, who was arrested in Thailand on drugs charges.

Pornchai said that there are about 30 major drug networks in Laos, with those of Xaysana and Sisouk sometimes allegedy trading together. However Sisouk’s gang is larger than that of Xaysana and has operated for much longer.

Sisouk’s alleged route is to smuggle the drugs from Laos to Thailand’s southern region.

Just like Xaysana, Sisouk had been living a high-profile life, rubbing shoulders with celebrities, before his arrest. Meanwhile the Office of the Narcotics Control Board secretary general Sirinya Sitthichai confirmed his agency, as well as anti-narcotics police, was in the process of requesting Laos’ permission to interrogate Sisouk. “We will try to determine who else is involved,” he said.

Available evidence suggested Sisouk had used Thailand-based drug deliverymen to send illicit drugs to Thailand’s South and Malaysia, said Sirinya.

“Key members of this network have already been in detention, except for Usman Salamaeng,” he added, referring to another high-profile suspect.