A police sting operation successfully cracked down on a drug-trafficking gang allegedly led by Prakan “Moo Talingchan” Boonmalee and seized a total of 185,200 yaba pills and one kilogram of crystal meth or “ice” in Nonthaburi province, police said on Sunday.

The suspect, Itthithep Payomyaem, 30, was arrested last week in the province’s Bang Bua Thong district when he showed up to deliver 4,000 yaba pills, which undercover officers had ordered to buy at Bt130,000, at a roadside spot in Tambon Bang Rak Pattana, Provincial Police Region 1 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Thanayut Wutthujarasthamrong said.

Itthithep reportedly confessed to police that he received the yaba pills from “Moo Talingchan” Prakan at about 200,000 pills per time, which he then delivered to customers as per Moo’s instruction. So far he had received three batches of such yaba pills and still had 141,200 pills hidden at home, which were also seized by police.

Police also searched a house in the Bang Yai district belonging to Prakan and Saowanee Sriprathum but didn’t find any illegal item there. Another search at the couple’s rented house yielded a pistol hence police charged them with having a gun in possession without permission.

Thanayut said Prakan had been arrested for drug charges in the past and allegedly collaborated with Saowanee to distribute yaba pills in Nonthaburi and nearby areas. Itthithep allegedly served as their drug-delivery man under Prakan’s instructions. Further operations by police led to the seizure of one kilogram of “ice” and 40,000 yaba pills.