1 00:00:07,884 --> 00:00:10,453 The Golden Triangle's a beautiful area 2 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:12,855 but underneath is a dark underbelly. 3 00:00:15,792 --> 00:00:18,094 It's unquestionably the epicenter 4 00:00:18,161 --> 00:00:19,362 of illicit drug production. 5 00:00:22,498 --> 00:00:23,733 In recent years 6 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:25,468 meth production has exploded. 7 00:00:28,471 --> 00:00:29,472 Nowhere else in the world 8 00:00:29,572 --> 00:00:30,706 are we seeing a meth market 9 00:00:30,807 --> 00:00:32,241 that is so complex 10 00:00:32,308 --> 00:00:34,510 and at the same time so huge. 11 00:00:34,610 --> 00:00:36,045 This region has 12 00:00:36,112 --> 00:00:37,713 on its hands, a meth epidemic. 13 00:00:37,814 --> 00:00:40,283 No! I don't want to! 14 00:00:42,485 --> 00:00:43,719 Thai police believed 15 00:00:43,786 --> 00:00:46,689 that Xaysana Keopimpha was behind 16 00:00:46,756 --> 00:00:48,858 a major drug trafficking syndicate. 17 00:00:49,258 --> 00:00:54,530 He was handsome, charming 18 00:00:54,597 --> 00:00:56,065 and super rich. 19 00:00:57,867 --> 00:00:59,836 He knew a lot of celebrities 20 00:00:59,936 --> 00:01:01,604 and stars in Thailand. 21 00:01:02,371 --> 00:01:03,506 And he wasn't shy about 22 00:01:03,606 --> 00:01:05,775 flaunting it on social media. 23 00:01:05,842 --> 00:01:07,510 Word on the street was 24 00:01:07,610 --> 00:01:10,146 he was worth US$30 million 25 00:01:10,947 --> 00:01:12,081 and was pumping 26 00:01:12,148 --> 00:01:14,083 millions of tonnes of meth 27 00:01:14,150 --> 00:01:15,118 through Thailand. 28 00:01:15,451 --> 00:01:18,121 But proving it and catching him 29 00:01:18,187 --> 00:01:19,355 wasn't going to be easy. 30 00:02:34,697 --> 00:02:36,966 It happened at around 11am. 31 00:03:00,356 --> 00:03:01,457 - Hello. - Hello. 32 00:03:02,358 --> 00:03:03,292 Where are you going? 33 00:03:03,626 --> 00:03:04,560 We're going home. 34 00:03:07,163 --> 00:03:08,431 Are you from here? 35 00:03:08,898 --> 00:03:09,799 I just moved here. 36 00:03:11,133 --> 00:03:12,335 What do you have in the back? 37 00:03:13,202 --> 00:03:14,537 Nothing. Just the two of us here. 38 00:03:19,709 --> 00:03:20,643 Sir. 39 00:03:21,611 --> 00:03:22,612 Step out of the vehicle. 40 00:03:22,678 --> 00:03:23,913 (Foreign language) 41 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,148 - (Foreign language) - Step out. 42 00:03:28,884 --> 00:03:30,920 - Go to the back. - Step out. 43 00:03:30,987 --> 00:03:32,054 Go to the back. 44 00:03:37,226 --> 00:03:38,594 What's in the back of the vehicle? 45 00:03:39,562 --> 00:03:40,696 Clothes. 46 00:03:40,763 --> 00:03:41,931 Open it. 47 00:03:54,510 --> 00:03:55,511 Get down! 48 00:03:55,611 --> 00:03:56,846 Hands behind your back. 49 00:03:56,912 --> 00:03:58,914 - Stay still. - It's all in the back. 50 00:04:03,686 --> 00:04:06,522 We found massive amounts of drugs. 51 00:04:07,790 --> 00:04:11,894 A million yaba tablets were seized. 52 00:04:12,828 --> 00:04:13,963 Worth between US$3 to 9 million 53 00:04:14,030 --> 00:04:16,399 on the market. 54 00:04:17,133 --> 00:04:19,135 As seizures go, this was huge. 55 00:04:19,201 --> 00:04:20,736 We've managed to seize 56 00:04:20,803 --> 00:04:22,238 a large amount of drugs 57 00:04:22,338 --> 00:04:23,806 from this bust. 58 00:04:23,873 --> 00:04:25,441 We found a total of 59 00:04:25,508 --> 00:04:26,609 around one million yaba pills. 60 00:04:26,676 --> 00:04:27,977 The drugs were being smuggled 61 00:04:28,044 --> 00:04:30,546 from Laos down to Malaysia 62 00:04:30,646 --> 00:04:33,082 via Thailand's southern border. 63 00:04:33,482 --> 00:04:34,684 But the methamphetamine 64 00:04:34,750 --> 00:04:35,751 was coming from where 65 00:04:35,851 --> 00:04:37,720 all methamphetamine originated. 66 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:39,355 The Golden Triangle. 67 00:04:42,658 --> 00:04:45,127 The Golden Triangle's a beautiful area 68 00:04:46,228 --> 00:04:48,397 but there's a degree of lawlessness 69 00:04:48,497 --> 00:04:49,732 kind of under the surface. 70 00:04:52,768 --> 00:04:53,769 The Golden Triangle 71 00:04:53,836 --> 00:04:55,237 is the part of Southeast Asia 72 00:04:55,338 --> 00:04:57,506 where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos 73 00:04:57,606 --> 00:04:58,774 come together. 74 00:05:02,511 --> 00:05:03,713 Basically in a perfect triangle. 75 00:05:07,416 --> 00:05:08,417 Heroin first 76 00:05:08,484 --> 00:05:10,720 made the Golden Triangle famous 77 00:05:10,786 --> 00:05:12,588 in around 1970s. 78 00:05:13,089 --> 00:05:14,857 But by the 1990s 79 00:05:14,924 --> 00:05:17,293 methamphetamine was taking over. 80 00:05:26,068 --> 00:05:28,871 At first, small clandestine labs 81 00:05:28,971 --> 00:05:31,006 began popping up in the jungles 82 00:05:32,508 --> 00:05:33,843 but in recent years 83 00:05:33,909 --> 00:05:35,711 meth production has exploded. 84 00:05:39,749 --> 00:05:41,217 Currently in the Golden Triangle 85 00:05:41,283 --> 00:05:43,519 we see the largest production 86 00:05:43,619 --> 00:05:44,987 of crystal meth in the world 87 00:05:45,087 --> 00:05:46,489 taking place. And what they've done 88 00:05:46,555 --> 00:05:47,656 is set up super labs. 89 00:05:51,594 --> 00:05:52,595 The power of 90 00:05:52,695 --> 00:05:55,731 these methamphetamine super labs 91 00:05:55,798 --> 00:05:58,167 is that they can produce meth 92 00:05:58,234 --> 00:06:01,337 24 hours, seven days a week. 93 00:06:03,205 --> 00:06:04,707 These can manufacture 94 00:06:04,807 --> 00:06:06,442 tonnes and tonnes of meth 95 00:06:06,509 --> 00:06:07,510 in a production run 96 00:06:07,610 --> 00:06:08,911 tens of tonnes actually. 97 00:06:11,747 --> 00:06:13,149 This region has 98 00:06:13,249 --> 00:06:14,683 on its hands, a meth epidemic. 99 00:06:16,051 --> 00:06:18,120 And Thai police were looking for those 100 00:06:18,187 --> 00:06:19,121 who were behind it. 101 00:06:30,366 --> 00:06:32,535 In 2012, police were investigating 102 00:06:32,601 --> 00:06:34,069 a drug trafficking syndicate 103 00:06:34,170 --> 00:06:35,404 that was operating 104 00:06:35,471 --> 00:06:38,607 on the southern border in Thailand. 105 00:06:38,974 --> 00:06:40,509 During the investigation 106 00:06:40,609 --> 00:06:42,244 they traced a phone number 107 00:06:42,311 --> 00:06:43,345 that was linked to 108 00:06:43,446 --> 00:06:46,348 a Laotian luxury car dealership. 109 00:06:46,849 --> 00:06:47,850 That dealership 110 00:06:47,917 --> 00:06:49,452 belonged to a businessman 111 00:06:49,518 --> 00:06:52,354 by the name of Xaysana Keopimpha. 112 00:06:53,889 --> 00:06:59,361 He was handsome, charming 113 00:06:59,428 --> 00:07:00,930 and super rich. 114 00:07:10,039 --> 00:07:12,842 He appeared to love the limelight 115 00:07:12,908 --> 00:07:14,844 but something wasn't quite right 116 00:07:14,910 --> 00:07:15,978 with his story. 117 00:07:16,045 --> 00:07:17,413 Where did his wealth 118 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:18,747 and connections come from? 119 00:07:22,117 --> 00:07:23,486 Xaysana was going around 120 00:07:23,552 --> 00:07:24,553 telling people that 121 00:07:24,653 --> 00:07:25,721 he'd made his fortune 122 00:07:25,788 --> 00:07:26,789 through logging. 123 00:07:31,594 --> 00:07:34,129 In Laos, logging is still an industry 124 00:07:34,196 --> 00:07:36,465 where you can make a good coin 125 00:07:36,565 --> 00:07:37,833 legal and illegal. 126 00:07:41,737 --> 00:07:43,072 But many people felt that 127 00:07:43,172 --> 00:07:45,574 Xaysana had popped up out of nowhere 128 00:07:45,641 --> 00:07:47,009 that he was making his money 129 00:07:47,076 --> 00:07:48,611 way too fast. 130 00:07:48,978 --> 00:07:51,647 But if Xaysana was in fact profiting 131 00:07:51,714 --> 00:07:54,316 from a drug trafficking syndicate 132 00:07:54,650 --> 00:07:56,018 then Thai police had to 133 00:07:56,085 --> 00:07:57,853 either link him to the money 134 00:07:57,920 --> 00:07:59,688 or link him to the drugs. 135 00:08:00,055 --> 00:08:01,924 That's where the NSB came in. 136 00:08:09,198 --> 00:08:10,766 The Narcotics Suppression Bureau 137 00:08:10,833 --> 00:08:11,834 or NSB 138 00:08:11,934 --> 00:08:15,037 was formed in 1992 to combat 139 00:08:15,137 --> 00:08:17,273 Thailand's growing drug epidemic. 140 00:08:19,775 --> 00:08:21,844 Since the 1960s, Thailand's 141 00:08:21,911 --> 00:08:23,612 northern border with Myanmar 142 00:08:23,679 --> 00:08:25,614 was a major trafficking route 143 00:08:25,681 --> 00:08:26,682 for heroin. 144 00:08:27,049 --> 00:08:29,218 That heroin for the most part 145 00:08:29,285 --> 00:08:31,153 ended up on the streets of America 146 00:08:31,253 --> 00:08:32,554 and Europe. 147 00:08:32,655 --> 00:08:34,723 But come the 1990s 148 00:08:34,790 --> 00:08:36,325 that drastically changed. 149 00:08:36,392 --> 00:08:38,527 Methamphetamine took over. 150 00:08:38,894 --> 00:08:41,096 And that meth flooded the markets 151 00:08:41,163 --> 00:08:42,731 throughout Southeast Asia 152 00:08:42,798 --> 00:08:43,799 including Thailand. 153 00:08:47,836 --> 00:08:48,837 Yaba is essentially 154 00:08:48,938 --> 00:08:51,373 a small speed pill. 155 00:08:51,807 --> 00:08:55,811 It ranges from 10% to 20% meth 156 00:08:56,712 --> 00:08:58,280 the rest is made of caffeine 157 00:08:58,347 --> 00:08:59,481 colors and dyes. 158 00:09:06,255 --> 00:09:08,324 It started out as a workers' drug. 159 00:09:08,724 --> 00:09:10,759 Truck drivers, taxi drivers 160 00:09:11,961 --> 00:09:13,295 they need to work 12 hours a day. 161 00:09:19,735 --> 00:09:20,736 When you use it 162 00:09:20,803 --> 00:09:21,737 you won't be able to sleep. 163 00:09:22,237 --> 00:09:25,374 So people call it the crazy pill. 164 00:09:28,811 --> 00:09:32,615 - Oh my god! - No! 165 00:09:33,115 --> 00:09:34,483 Are you crazy? 166 00:09:35,017 --> 00:09:36,652 Why are you trying to arrest me? 167 00:09:37,052 --> 00:09:38,253 No one wants to hurt you! 168 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:39,688 I told you, I'm not going! 169 00:09:46,428 --> 00:09:48,564 The outcome is 170 00:09:48,631 --> 00:09:51,367 usually violent hallucinations. 171 00:09:51,433 --> 00:09:53,068 Sometimes you don't even realize 172 00:09:53,168 --> 00:09:54,670 what you've done. 173 00:09:57,172 --> 00:09:58,374 Hurry! 174 00:10:00,075 --> 00:10:01,276 A young boy is seen 175 00:10:01,377 --> 00:10:02,578 being held at knifepoint 176 00:10:02,645 --> 00:10:03,646 by a deranged man 177 00:10:03,712 --> 00:10:04,847 sitting on the side of the road. 178 00:10:04,913 --> 00:10:08,150 Officers are trying to calm him down. 179 00:10:09,718 --> 00:10:12,488 You go into some psychosis 180 00:10:13,188 --> 00:10:16,258 where the world becomes unreal. 181 00:10:36,478 --> 00:10:41,050 No! I don't want to go! 182 00:10:41,917 --> 00:10:44,720 No! I don't want to! 183 00:10:46,321 --> 00:10:51,160 Yaba is now widespread. 184 00:10:51,894 --> 00:10:53,829 During that time, the borders 185 00:10:53,929 --> 00:10:55,998 became heavily militarized 186 00:10:58,434 --> 00:11:01,670 and the NSB, they led that charge. 187 00:11:03,172 --> 00:11:05,808 We're in charge of investigating 188 00:11:05,874 --> 00:11:08,444 all drug-related cases. 189 00:11:13,515 --> 00:11:14,717 The NSB works with 190 00:11:14,817 --> 00:11:17,252 local, provincial and border police 191 00:11:17,319 --> 00:11:19,121 along with customs officials. 192 00:11:19,188 --> 00:11:21,256 Together they try to gather evidence 193 00:11:21,323 --> 00:11:23,659 to take down drug syndicates 194 00:11:23,726 --> 00:11:25,227 operating in Thailand. 195 00:11:25,728 --> 00:11:26,729 They're very much like 196 00:11:26,795 --> 00:11:29,598 the DEA of America 197 00:11:29,698 --> 00:11:30,833 whose main task 198 00:11:30,933 --> 00:11:33,235 is to go after the big fish. 199 00:11:33,335 --> 00:11:35,070 The big crime syndicates. 200 00:11:36,438 --> 00:11:39,708 They constantly monitor the movements 201 00:11:39,808 --> 00:11:44,646 of traffickers and their operations. 202 00:11:45,214 --> 00:11:46,682 Thailand is considered 203 00:11:46,749 --> 00:11:49,151 a vital transit point 204 00:11:49,251 --> 00:11:50,853 for drug syndicates. 205 00:11:55,557 --> 00:11:56,825 In terms of numbers 206 00:11:56,925 --> 00:11:58,794 half a billion yaba tablets 207 00:11:58,894 --> 00:12:00,295 are trafficked through Thailand 208 00:12:00,362 --> 00:12:01,296 every year. 209 00:12:02,498 --> 00:12:03,499 And that's mostly 210 00:12:03,565 --> 00:12:05,067 because of the country's 211 00:12:05,167 --> 00:12:06,468 geographical significance 212 00:12:06,568 --> 00:12:08,470 being right beside the triangle. 213 00:12:08,570 --> 00:12:10,773 It's a key distribution country. 214 00:12:10,839 --> 00:12:13,442 And from Thailand, it gets sent 215 00:12:13,509 --> 00:12:15,444 to the rest of Southeast Asia. 216 00:12:16,378 --> 00:12:17,479 Meth is hitting the streets 217 00:12:17,546 --> 00:12:19,548 of New Zealand, Australia 218 00:12:19,648 --> 00:12:21,717 Japan, Korea, where it commands 219 00:12:21,817 --> 00:12:22,918 the highest price in the world 220 00:12:23,018 --> 00:12:24,119 per kilo. 221 00:12:25,354 --> 00:12:27,256 Whether it's by land, sea or air. 222 00:12:27,322 --> 00:12:29,992 These routes are the main routes 223 00:12:30,092 --> 00:12:32,928 straight from the supplier. 224 00:12:34,530 --> 00:12:35,798 What we've seen is the infiltration 225 00:12:35,898 --> 00:12:37,232 of major transnational 226 00:12:37,332 --> 00:12:38,233 organized crime. 227 00:12:38,767 --> 00:12:40,769 Production is at all-time highs 228 00:12:41,203 --> 00:12:42,871 and so are the profits. 229 00:12:44,807 --> 00:12:46,775 On average, a yaba tablet 230 00:12:46,842 --> 00:12:48,844 costs around five US dollars 231 00:12:48,911 --> 00:12:50,078 in Southeast Asia. 232 00:12:50,946 --> 00:12:52,047 But when we start taking a look 233 00:12:52,114 --> 00:12:53,849 at the higher end methamphetamine 234 00:12:53,916 --> 00:12:55,818 the crystal or the ice 235 00:12:55,884 --> 00:12:57,052 that can sell for 236 00:12:57,119 --> 00:12:59,755 thousands of US dollars per gram. 237 00:13:00,789 --> 00:13:02,724 The difficulty for the NSB 238 00:13:02,791 --> 00:13:04,960 was the complex hierarchy 239 00:13:05,027 --> 00:13:07,129 of these drug trafficking syndicates. 240 00:13:08,530 --> 00:13:10,165 So the way it typically works is that 241 00:13:10,232 --> 00:13:12,067 drug mules move the drugs 242 00:13:12,167 --> 00:13:13,535 onward to couriers 243 00:13:14,136 --> 00:13:15,237 who then pass it on 244 00:13:15,337 --> 00:13:16,638 to other couriers. 245 00:13:16,705 --> 00:13:19,608 It's a chain. And even if the NSB 246 00:13:19,675 --> 00:13:20,776 step into that chain 247 00:13:20,843 --> 00:13:22,811 and arrest intermediaries 248 00:13:23,178 --> 00:13:24,313 it's almost impossible 249 00:13:24,413 --> 00:13:26,315 to find the destination 250 00:13:26,415 --> 00:13:28,317 and who ultimately is behind 251 00:13:28,417 --> 00:13:29,351 the entire shipment. 252 00:13:37,092 --> 00:13:38,961 Get down! Hands behind your back. 253 00:13:39,494 --> 00:13:41,496 - Stay still. - It's all in the back. 254 00:13:43,398 --> 00:13:46,735 For the longest time 255 00:13:46,802 --> 00:13:48,403 Thai police had been searching 256 00:13:48,470 --> 00:13:50,572 for the ringleaders who were shipping 257 00:13:50,639 --> 00:13:52,774 huge amounts of yaba into the country 258 00:13:52,841 --> 00:13:54,676 from the Golden Triangle. 259 00:13:56,812 --> 00:13:59,648 The people we arrested to date 260 00:14:00,015 --> 00:14:03,352 were drug mules. 261 00:14:03,719 --> 00:14:05,888 But drug mules can often 262 00:14:05,954 --> 00:14:07,256 have important clues. 263 00:14:12,961 --> 00:14:14,930 The mule told us he was hired 264 00:14:14,997 --> 00:14:16,665 by a guy called Witwatchai... 265 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,035 or Mr Ae. 266 00:14:24,239 --> 00:14:26,708 We issued an arrest warrant. 267 00:14:27,709 --> 00:14:31,046 The mule told us 268 00:14:31,113 --> 00:14:33,315 this boss had flown 269 00:14:33,415 --> 00:14:35,117 to Hat Yai in the south 270 00:14:35,217 --> 00:14:37,019 and was waiting for them there. 271 00:14:39,187 --> 00:14:42,124 So we headed to Hat Yai airport 272 00:14:42,190 --> 00:14:44,092 to arrest him. 273 00:14:45,394 --> 00:14:47,296 Mr Ae Witwatchai 274 00:14:47,729 --> 00:14:49,031 I called you in here 275 00:14:49,531 --> 00:14:51,533 because I want your cooperation. 276 00:14:51,833 --> 00:14:53,735 It's for your own good. 277 00:14:54,670 --> 00:14:57,572 We found out that 278 00:14:57,639 --> 00:14:59,775 you work for a powerful man. 279 00:15:00,842 --> 00:15:01,843 I don't know what you're talking about. 280 00:15:02,678 --> 00:15:04,179 If you don't come clean 281 00:15:04,746 --> 00:15:06,248 I will prosecute you. 282 00:15:07,883 --> 00:15:09,952 But if you cooperate with us 283 00:15:10,519 --> 00:15:12,054 we'll make you a state witness. 284 00:15:16,792 --> 00:15:19,328 He told us 285 00:15:19,394 --> 00:15:21,964 the name of a Thai trafficker 286 00:15:22,030 --> 00:15:23,131 Mr Chumphon. 287 00:15:24,366 --> 00:15:26,368 There's nothing to worry about. 288 00:15:27,069 --> 00:15:28,403 I'll take care of it. 289 00:15:34,876 --> 00:15:36,845 Thai authorities knew that Chumphon 290 00:15:36,912 --> 00:15:38,714 was only a small-time dealer. 291 00:15:40,048 --> 00:15:41,316 Mr Chumphon 292 00:15:41,416 --> 00:15:44,987 had previously been arrested 293 00:15:45,587 --> 00:15:48,557 for marijuana trafficking. 294 00:15:50,926 --> 00:15:52,794 I also worked with one other guy. 295 00:15:55,130 --> 00:15:56,732 Everyone calls him Brother Lop. 296 00:16:01,003 --> 00:16:02,838 What's his real name? 297 00:16:03,205 --> 00:16:04,406 I don't know. 298 00:16:04,473 --> 00:16:05,874 Everyone just calls him Brother Lop. 299 00:16:07,009 --> 00:16:10,045 Slowly, the NSB was revealing 300 00:16:10,412 --> 00:16:12,147 the drug syndicate's hierarchy. 301 00:16:13,882 --> 00:16:15,884 He mentioned a guy from Laos 302 00:16:15,951 --> 00:16:16,952 called Mr Lop. 303 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:19,521 We didn't have any information 304 00:16:19,588 --> 00:16:20,555 on who he was. 305 00:16:21,790 --> 00:16:24,493 Thai police had two questions. 306 00:16:24,559 --> 00:16:26,595 Who was supplying the mules 307 00:16:26,695 --> 00:16:28,030 with millions of pills? 308 00:16:28,430 --> 00:16:31,867 And where did this mysterious Laotian 309 00:16:31,967 --> 00:16:33,769 Mr Lop, fit into 310 00:16:33,835 --> 00:16:35,771 the drug syndicate's hierarchy? 311 00:16:43,245 --> 00:16:44,746 Laos has always played actually 312 00:16:44,846 --> 00:16:45,881 quite a crucial role 313 00:16:45,947 --> 00:16:47,416 in the Golden Triangle. 314 00:16:48,750 --> 00:16:49,751 It's corruptible 315 00:16:49,851 --> 00:16:51,319 easy to move things in and out. 316 00:16:57,659 --> 00:16:58,627 It's the only country 317 00:16:58,727 --> 00:16:59,728 that shares a land border with 318 00:16:59,795 --> 00:17:01,696 every other country in the Mekong. 319 00:17:03,832 --> 00:17:04,866 Laos has more than 320 00:17:04,966 --> 00:17:07,636 a 1,000km border 321 00:17:07,736 --> 00:17:09,604 along the Mekong river. 322 00:17:10,405 --> 00:17:11,873 There are literally 323 00:17:11,973 --> 00:17:14,042 hundreds of potential spots 324 00:17:14,109 --> 00:17:15,110 along the way 325 00:17:15,210 --> 00:17:17,512 that syndicates can move their drugs 326 00:17:17,612 --> 00:17:19,114 in and out of Laos 327 00:17:19,214 --> 00:17:20,549 on to other countries 328 00:17:20,649 --> 00:17:22,617 and that makes it extremely difficult 329 00:17:22,684 --> 00:17:23,885 to police. 330 00:17:26,254 --> 00:17:27,289 The remote nature of the Golden 331 00:17:27,355 --> 00:17:28,457 Triangle really does make it 332 00:17:28,523 --> 00:17:29,524 really advantageous 333 00:17:29,591 --> 00:17:30,592 for organized crime. 334 00:17:30,692 --> 00:17:31,693 I mean, you could move product 335 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,395 out of the Mekong River itself. 336 00:17:33,962 --> 00:17:34,963 You can move it out 337 00:17:35,030 --> 00:17:36,031 through the mountains. 338 00:17:36,131 --> 00:17:37,399 You could move it out through roads. 339 00:17:38,834 --> 00:17:41,436 So the drug traffickers use Laos 340 00:17:41,536 --> 00:17:43,839 as a trafficking route. 341 00:17:46,408 --> 00:17:48,443 It's got all the elements necessary 342 00:17:48,510 --> 00:17:50,846 for successful organized crime. 343 00:17:53,081 --> 00:17:55,283 It's a trafficker's paradise 344 00:17:55,350 --> 00:17:56,284 essentially. 345 00:17:57,519 --> 00:17:59,988 And the place was home to Xaysana 346 00:18:00,088 --> 00:18:01,923 the mysterious logging millionaire. 347 00:18:02,657 --> 00:18:05,527 He was in the perfect place to run 348 00:18:05,594 --> 00:18:07,129 a billion-dollar drug syndicate. 349 00:18:07,529 --> 00:18:09,531 But if he was running one 350 00:18:09,598 --> 00:18:10,732 how was he doing it? 351 00:18:21,643 --> 00:18:25,013 Xaysana's social media accounts 352 00:18:27,082 --> 00:18:31,486 showed off his lavish lifestyle. 353 00:18:31,553 --> 00:18:33,922 There were photos of him 354 00:18:33,989 --> 00:18:36,358 with many luxury cars. 355 00:18:38,527 --> 00:18:40,028 He was well-known 356 00:18:40,128 --> 00:18:43,732 among the elite social circle 357 00:18:43,798 --> 00:18:46,134 and owned extensive businesses. 358 00:18:49,404 --> 00:18:52,107 He held many parties. 359 00:18:53,208 --> 00:18:54,242 He was outgoing 360 00:18:54,309 --> 00:18:56,178 and spent a lot of money 361 00:18:56,244 --> 00:18:57,913 just to show off his wealth. 362 00:19:01,249 --> 00:19:02,884 The cars he owned were something that 363 00:19:02,951 --> 00:19:04,986 just hit the sweet spot for me. 364 00:19:06,955 --> 00:19:08,723 They were exquisite. 365 00:19:10,258 --> 00:19:12,227 All my life 366 00:19:12,327 --> 00:19:18,133 I wanted to have what he had. 367 00:19:22,771 --> 00:19:23,772 I heard once 368 00:19:23,838 --> 00:19:29,711 he was trying to bid on a car 369 00:19:30,345 --> 00:19:32,847 worth about US$300,000 370 00:19:32,914 --> 00:19:34,716 and he paid double of that 371 00:19:34,816 --> 00:19:36,318 just to win the bid. 372 00:19:37,118 --> 00:19:38,253 He was known 373 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,522 to hire actors and celebrities 374 00:19:40,589 --> 00:19:41,556 for big events 375 00:19:42,090 --> 00:19:44,492 and it was there that he'd network. 376 00:19:45,093 --> 00:19:46,528 He was really good 377 00:19:46,595 --> 00:19:48,230 at developing relationships 378 00:19:48,330 --> 00:19:49,764 with people who had influence 379 00:19:49,831 --> 00:19:51,266 and notoriety. 380 00:19:51,366 --> 00:19:55,637 People in the entertainment industry 381 00:19:55,737 --> 00:19:56,838 knew Xaysana. 382 00:19:56,938 --> 00:19:59,708 He took pictures with famous people 383 00:19:59,808 --> 00:20:02,777 so he could show it off. 384 00:20:04,079 --> 00:20:10,785 He wanted to use their connections 385 00:20:10,885 --> 00:20:13,321 to grow his business. 386 00:20:20,428 --> 00:20:22,631 Xaysana took these relationships 387 00:20:22,731 --> 00:20:24,733 and then capitalized on them 388 00:20:24,799 --> 00:20:26,601 with new businesses. 389 00:20:27,035 --> 00:20:29,604 At one point, he was into luxury cars 390 00:20:29,671 --> 00:20:30,939 high-end real estate 391 00:20:31,006 --> 00:20:33,074 as well as luxury watches. 392 00:20:34,242 --> 00:20:36,578 The word on the street was that 393 00:20:36,645 --> 00:20:37,812 at one point he was worth 394 00:20:37,879 --> 00:20:40,548 US$30 million. 395 00:20:40,649 --> 00:20:41,650 and it really seemed like 396 00:20:41,716 --> 00:20:43,518 he had a Midas touch. 397 00:20:43,618 --> 00:20:45,920 Every venture he went into 398 00:20:45,987 --> 00:20:47,322 he succeeded at that. 399 00:20:48,690 --> 00:20:49,924 It seemed he couldn't make 400 00:20:49,991 --> 00:20:51,493 a wrong move. 401 00:20:59,034 --> 00:21:02,804 Intelligence from a Thai police source 402 00:21:02,871 --> 00:21:05,907 revealed a shipment of drugs 403 00:21:06,007 --> 00:21:07,676 would be transported 404 00:21:07,776 --> 00:21:09,511 on 1 October 2016. 405 00:21:27,696 --> 00:21:29,030 - Key? - Here. 406 00:21:30,432 --> 00:21:31,366 Where did you park? 407 00:21:31,733 --> 00:21:32,634 Over there. 408 00:21:40,775 --> 00:21:42,610 Freeze. 409 00:21:42,677 --> 00:21:45,146 Get down! Kneel down. Don't move! 410 00:21:50,785 --> 00:21:52,587 The sting was a success. 411 00:21:56,958 --> 00:21:58,793 And police had two new suspects 412 00:21:58,893 --> 00:22:00,161 in custody. 413 00:22:00,628 --> 00:22:02,163 The driver told police that 414 00:22:02,230 --> 00:22:05,033 this was a major trafficking route 415 00:22:05,133 --> 00:22:06,735 that drugs would go from Laos 416 00:22:06,801 --> 00:22:08,169 through southern Thailand 417 00:22:08,236 --> 00:22:10,605 to Malaysia and farther beyond. 418 00:22:12,207 --> 00:22:13,708 The crime syndicate was moving 419 00:22:13,808 --> 00:22:15,009 massive amounts of drugs 420 00:22:15,076 --> 00:22:16,711 along this route 421 00:22:16,811 --> 00:22:17,846 and the driver gave up 422 00:22:17,912 --> 00:22:19,047 a familiar name. 423 00:22:19,481 --> 00:22:21,716 The mystery Laotian, Mr Lop. 424 00:22:24,652 --> 00:22:25,920 The drug mules revealed 425 00:22:25,987 --> 00:22:27,655 that Mr Lop was in fact 426 00:22:27,722 --> 00:22:29,657 running the entire drug syndicate 427 00:22:29,724 --> 00:22:31,059 from Laos. 428 00:22:31,426 --> 00:22:32,794 This was the break 429 00:22:32,894 --> 00:22:34,396 the NSB was looking for. 430 00:22:36,030 --> 00:22:38,533 At this point, the NSB had built up 431 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,969 a profile of Mr Lop 432 00:22:42,370 --> 00:22:45,240 and all signs pointed to Xaysana. 433 00:22:47,409 --> 00:22:52,347 If the police could identify him 434 00:22:53,047 --> 00:22:55,683 they think they could bring down 435 00:22:55,750 --> 00:22:57,485 the whole network. 436 00:23:03,191 --> 00:23:05,427 Then, Thai police got a new lead. 437 00:23:05,527 --> 00:23:06,628 They managed to pull out 438 00:23:06,728 --> 00:23:08,296 phone numbers from the phones 439 00:23:08,363 --> 00:23:10,565 they had seized from the drug mules. 440 00:23:11,666 --> 00:23:12,834 Phone numbers they thought 441 00:23:12,934 --> 00:23:14,836 could belong to the ringleaders 442 00:23:14,936 --> 00:23:16,337 of the drug trafficking network. 443 00:23:17,806 --> 00:23:20,775 They managed to extract two numbers. 444 00:23:20,842 --> 00:23:23,511 The first one was a Thai number. 445 00:23:23,611 --> 00:23:26,314 The second one was from Laos. 446 00:23:26,815 --> 00:23:29,017 Both were stored in the phone 447 00:23:29,083 --> 00:23:30,952 under the name, Mr Lop. 448 00:23:33,254 --> 00:23:35,390 This was the first piece of evidence 449 00:23:35,490 --> 00:23:36,591 that allowed police 450 00:23:36,691 --> 00:23:38,760 to link to Mr Lop. 451 00:23:44,732 --> 00:23:46,734 The Thailand number was a dead end 452 00:23:47,235 --> 00:23:50,038 because it was registered 453 00:23:50,138 --> 00:23:52,774 using a false identity. 454 00:23:58,112 --> 00:23:59,547 And it was beyond our jurisdiction 455 00:23:59,647 --> 00:24:02,817 to trace the Laotian number. 456 00:24:03,151 --> 00:24:06,120 So that came to a dead end too. 457 00:24:09,123 --> 00:24:10,158 The police just didn't have 458 00:24:10,258 --> 00:24:11,392 enough leads. 459 00:24:11,493 --> 00:24:13,561 He remained in the shadows. 460 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:30,912 The NSB went into high gear. 461 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:33,314 Slow down. 462 00:24:33,414 --> 00:24:34,849 The light is red, it's red. Act now! 463 00:24:35,817 --> 00:24:37,585 Get out! 464 00:24:38,453 --> 00:24:39,988 Block him in the front. 465 00:24:41,189 --> 00:24:43,925 Get out of the vehicle! Get out! 466 00:24:44,893 --> 00:24:48,563 All resources were devoted 467 00:24:48,630 --> 00:24:50,932 to finding out 468 00:24:50,999 --> 00:24:53,001 who this mysterious Mr Lop was. 469 00:24:53,067 --> 00:24:54,002 Calm down. 470 00:24:57,071 --> 00:24:59,407 Wait. We've been following you. 471 00:25:01,209 --> 00:25:02,443 So the dealer will call you? 472 00:25:02,510 --> 00:25:03,678 Isn't this a Laotian number? 473 00:25:04,712 --> 00:25:06,347 Why is a Laotian number calling you? 474 00:25:06,447 --> 00:25:07,849 We're waiting for him to call us. 475 00:25:07,916 --> 00:25:08,850 You're waiting for him to call? 476 00:25:11,786 --> 00:25:12,787 If he calls you again, pick up 477 00:25:12,887 --> 00:25:14,389 and talk normally. You understand? 478 00:25:14,756 --> 00:25:15,790 The NSB 479 00:25:15,890 --> 00:25:17,392 made an incredible breakthrough. 480 00:25:24,232 --> 00:25:25,266 The phone number 481 00:25:25,366 --> 00:25:26,968 from the seized phones 482 00:25:27,035 --> 00:25:28,736 was in fact linked 483 00:25:28,803 --> 00:25:30,438 to a Facebook account. 484 00:25:32,106 --> 00:25:36,210 The Facebook account 485 00:25:36,277 --> 00:25:39,547 that police found was 486 00:25:39,647 --> 00:25:42,517 in the name of Xaysana Keopimpha. 487 00:26:00,802 --> 00:26:02,370 At first, police couldn't believe it 488 00:26:03,237 --> 00:26:04,405 that a man that had gone 489 00:26:04,472 --> 00:26:07,108 to great strides to hide his identity 490 00:26:07,208 --> 00:26:09,210 from his drug mules had actually 491 00:26:09,277 --> 00:26:12,213 put his phone number online 492 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,149 and linked it to a Facebook account. 493 00:26:16,117 --> 00:26:17,552 Xaysana Keopimpha 494 00:26:17,652 --> 00:26:18,753 the millionaire businessman 495 00:26:18,853 --> 00:26:20,555 the friend to the stars 496 00:26:20,655 --> 00:26:23,391 was actually Mr Lop. 497 00:26:23,491 --> 00:26:26,327 This revelation now linked him 498 00:26:26,394 --> 00:26:27,895 to the drug mules 499 00:26:27,962 --> 00:26:30,164 and, by default, the drugs. 500 00:26:32,033 --> 00:26:33,468 To prove that Xaysana 501 00:26:33,568 --> 00:26:35,436 was, in fact, Mr Lop 502 00:26:35,536 --> 00:26:38,873 the NSB needed a positive ID. 503 00:26:38,973 --> 00:26:40,375 They needed somebody 504 00:26:40,441 --> 00:26:42,710 who had met Mr Lop in person. 505 00:26:44,879 --> 00:26:47,515 If they could prove that 506 00:26:47,882 --> 00:26:52,520 then they were closer to busting 507 00:26:52,587 --> 00:26:55,356 the trafficking syndicate. 508 00:26:56,724 --> 00:26:58,926 They went back to Chumphon prison 509 00:26:58,993 --> 00:27:01,596 to interrogate Mr Ae 510 00:27:01,696 --> 00:27:03,331 who is the first drug trafficker 511 00:27:03,398 --> 00:27:04,699 they had arrested. 512 00:27:06,768 --> 00:27:08,936 What about his appearance? 513 00:27:09,771 --> 00:27:12,407 Well, he's quite tall, fair-skinned 514 00:27:12,473 --> 00:27:14,308 and likes wearing gold accessories. 515 00:27:14,409 --> 00:27:15,777 Stuff like this. 516 00:27:22,750 --> 00:27:23,685 Like this? 517 00:27:25,787 --> 00:27:26,721 Is this him? 518 00:27:43,171 --> 00:27:45,239 Mr Ae confirmed that 519 00:27:45,306 --> 00:27:47,308 the Facebook photo of Xaysana 520 00:27:47,408 --> 00:27:49,844 was Mr Lop, the man he had been 521 00:27:49,911 --> 00:27:51,512 transporting drugs for. 522 00:27:57,652 --> 00:27:59,954 The police couldn't believe it. 523 00:28:04,692 --> 00:28:06,160 Xaysana was successfully 524 00:28:06,227 --> 00:28:07,795 moving trillions of tablets 525 00:28:07,895 --> 00:28:09,030 of methamphetamine 526 00:28:09,130 --> 00:28:11,499 out of the Golden Triangle each year. 527 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,769 But catching him 528 00:28:14,836 --> 00:28:16,237 wasn't going to be easy. 529 00:28:23,244 --> 00:28:24,879 There was no way for Thai police 530 00:28:24,979 --> 00:28:25,880 to get at him. 531 00:28:33,788 --> 00:28:35,056 Then, luck played into 532 00:28:35,123 --> 00:28:36,891 the hands of Thai police. 533 00:28:39,927 --> 00:28:42,630 A source tipped them off 534 00:28:42,730 --> 00:28:45,566 that Xaysana was going on vacation 535 00:28:45,633 --> 00:28:46,567 in Thailand. 536 00:28:48,936 --> 00:28:50,404 Police issued an arrest warrant 537 00:28:50,471 --> 00:28:51,405 for Xaysana. 538 00:28:52,073 --> 00:28:53,074 By liaising 539 00:28:53,174 --> 00:28:55,176 with various government agencies 540 00:28:55,243 --> 00:28:57,378 they figured out he had gone to Phuket. 541 00:29:00,815 --> 00:29:03,851 There were about five people 542 00:29:04,452 --> 00:29:06,888 in his entourage. 543 00:29:09,357 --> 00:29:10,358 We set up 544 00:29:10,458 --> 00:29:12,927 Operation Chaiya Sayop Pairee 545 00:29:15,763 --> 00:29:22,270 with the NSB 546 00:29:22,837 --> 00:29:27,775 the armed forces and the local police. 547 00:29:29,210 --> 00:29:32,513 We followed this group 548 00:29:32,613 --> 00:29:36,517 to see where they traveled to 549 00:29:36,617 --> 00:29:39,787 whom they contacted 550 00:29:39,887 --> 00:29:43,658 where they stayed and what they did 551 00:29:43,724 --> 00:29:46,994 so we could plan the arrest. 552 00:29:52,533 --> 00:29:54,135 Authorities learned he was going to 553 00:29:54,202 --> 00:29:56,204 travel back to Laos through 554 00:29:56,270 --> 00:29:57,939 Bangkok's international airport. 555 00:30:04,045 --> 00:30:08,349 The NSB and other agencies planned 556 00:30:08,449 --> 00:30:13,087 to arrest Xaysana in the afternoon 557 00:30:13,154 --> 00:30:17,792 at Suvarnabhumi Airport. 558 00:30:19,026 --> 00:30:22,897 That morning of 19 January 2017 559 00:30:22,964 --> 00:30:25,266 I was told to go 560 00:30:25,366 --> 00:30:27,969 to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau 561 00:30:28,035 --> 00:30:29,070 before heading 562 00:30:29,170 --> 00:30:32,273 to Suvarnabhumi Airport. 563 00:30:36,310 --> 00:30:40,281 Based on our evidence right now 564 00:30:40,348 --> 00:30:43,684 one of the drug lords 565 00:30:43,751 --> 00:30:45,119 from our neighboring country 566 00:30:45,219 --> 00:30:46,187 is about to land 567 00:30:46,287 --> 00:30:47,922 in Suvarnabhumi Airport. 568 00:30:49,123 --> 00:30:52,193 The man we're arresting 569 00:30:52,293 --> 00:30:53,194 is Xaysana. 570 00:30:55,963 --> 00:30:58,633 For the past few years 571 00:30:58,733 --> 00:31:01,769 there have been numerous cases 572 00:31:01,836 --> 00:31:03,237 of drug trafficking 573 00:31:03,337 --> 00:31:05,573 from the northeast 574 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:08,809 spreading to the central. 575 00:31:09,644 --> 00:31:10,912 On 1st October, we seized 576 00:31:11,012 --> 00:31:12,413 1.2 million at Sikhio checkpoint. 577 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,749 The drug kingpin imported drugs 578 00:31:14,849 --> 00:31:16,284 from our neighboring countries 579 00:31:16,350 --> 00:31:18,586 in the northeast. 580 00:31:20,254 --> 00:31:25,159 The meeting was to explain 581 00:31:25,259 --> 00:31:28,496 what the press were to do 582 00:31:28,562 --> 00:31:30,498 where the reporters should be 583 00:31:30,564 --> 00:31:31,799 and how the investigation team 584 00:31:31,866 --> 00:31:33,401 would arrest him. 585 00:31:42,043 --> 00:31:44,612 We waited near the exit. 586 00:31:52,954 --> 00:31:53,955 They don't know why we're here. 587 00:31:54,055 --> 00:31:55,256 Think we're welcoming a Korean star. 588 00:31:55,323 --> 00:31:56,924 They don't know why we're here. 589 00:31:57,591 --> 00:31:59,393 But we know where they're headed. 590 00:32:07,168 --> 00:32:08,836 We had planned the arrest in detail 591 00:32:08,936 --> 00:32:11,038 and were prepared to grab him 592 00:32:11,105 --> 00:32:14,442 at the airport departure area. 593 00:32:19,947 --> 00:32:22,683 Of course this created quite a stir 594 00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:24,852 at the airport. 595 00:32:29,790 --> 00:32:32,026 There were around 50 officers 596 00:32:32,126 --> 00:32:33,694 with various roles 597 00:32:33,761 --> 00:32:35,396 from different operation teams. 598 00:32:35,496 --> 00:32:37,698 People there were quite shocked 599 00:32:37,765 --> 00:32:38,766 probably thinking 600 00:32:38,833 --> 00:32:39,834 "Hey, what's going on?" 601 00:32:49,410 --> 00:32:51,445 Lie on the ground. On the ground. 602 00:32:51,512 --> 00:32:53,414 Get his passport. 603 00:32:53,481 --> 00:32:56,050 Hands behind your back. Handcuff him. 604 00:32:56,117 --> 00:32:57,785 Don't waste time, do it. 605 00:32:57,885 --> 00:32:58,919 - Take him down. - Give me your bag. 606 00:33:00,187 --> 00:33:01,122 Search him. 607 00:33:02,790 --> 00:33:03,924 Guys, relax. I'm... 608 00:33:06,694 --> 00:33:08,629 Don't, don't switch off your phone. 609 00:33:11,799 --> 00:33:12,800 What's your name? 610 00:33:12,867 --> 00:33:14,368 - Xaysana. - Xaysana, right? 611 00:33:31,085 --> 00:33:32,920 Keep walking. 612 00:33:32,987 --> 00:33:34,355 Hurry up. 613 00:33:36,257 --> 00:33:38,826 - Which gate is the van? - Exit 1. 614 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:45,866 Xaysana appeared shocked 615 00:33:45,966 --> 00:33:48,569 and surprised at being arrested. 616 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,375 Xaysana claimed he was innocent. 617 00:33:54,442 --> 00:33:55,776 He denied his involvement. 618 00:33:57,711 --> 00:33:59,713 - Gate 1. Come on. - Out this gate. 619 00:33:59,814 --> 00:34:01,715 Take him. 620 00:34:02,216 --> 00:34:04,118 Get ready to take him in. 621 00:34:04,218 --> 00:34:06,687 Get in there. 622 00:34:19,934 --> 00:34:21,836 He's the drug lord we've been 623 00:34:21,936 --> 00:34:22,970 tracking down for five years. 624 00:34:23,037 --> 00:34:24,705 Through the combined efforts 625 00:34:24,805 --> 00:34:27,108 of the NSB 626 00:34:28,008 --> 00:34:32,246 the CIB 627 00:34:32,313 --> 00:34:33,481 and the provincial police 628 00:34:33,547 --> 00:34:34,748 from various regions 629 00:34:34,849 --> 00:34:37,117 we were able to bust their network 630 00:34:37,218 --> 00:34:39,253 and arrest the suspect today. 631 00:34:40,588 --> 00:34:43,557 We're ready to freeze his assets 632 00:34:43,657 --> 00:34:46,894 to disrupt their trading routes 633 00:34:46,961 --> 00:34:48,362 and stop them 634 00:34:48,429 --> 00:34:50,731 from ruining our children's lives. 635 00:35:01,242 --> 00:35:02,276 Xaysana was 636 00:35:02,376 --> 00:35:04,645 the first big arrest in breaking 637 00:35:04,712 --> 00:35:06,013 the major drug trafficking network 638 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:07,014 in Thailand. 639 00:35:09,416 --> 00:35:10,951 Before Xaysana's arrest 640 00:35:11,051 --> 00:35:14,088 the police had only caught small fry 641 00:35:14,155 --> 00:35:15,589 like the drug mules 642 00:35:15,689 --> 00:35:16,757 and the small-time traffickers 643 00:35:18,058 --> 00:35:21,295 smuggling small quantities of drug. 644 00:35:23,631 --> 00:35:27,535 The arrest was a major coup. 645 00:35:27,601 --> 00:35:30,271 It made prime time news 646 00:35:30,371 --> 00:35:31,772 across all media outlets. 647 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:36,477 The arrest of major Laotian drug lord 648 00:35:36,577 --> 00:35:38,012 Xaysana Keopimpha 649 00:35:38,078 --> 00:35:39,880 This is a major breakthrough 650 00:35:39,947 --> 00:35:41,315 as he's behind the flow of drugs 651 00:35:41,415 --> 00:35:43,951 from our neighboring country... 652 00:35:44,051 --> 00:35:46,153 Next up, news on Xaysana's syndicate. 653 00:35:46,253 --> 00:35:48,055 Have we gotten to the bottom 654 00:35:48,122 --> 00:35:49,523 of this massive drug network? 655 00:35:49,590 --> 00:35:51,692 Is he really the mastermind? 656 00:35:51,759 --> 00:35:52,760 Or did we just arrest 657 00:35:52,826 --> 00:35:53,827 another pawn in the game? 658 00:35:53,928 --> 00:35:54,929 There is one man 659 00:35:54,995 --> 00:35:56,430 who can give us the answers. 660 00:35:56,530 --> 00:35:58,265 - A Lao national. - Yes. 661 00:35:58,365 --> 00:36:00,834 They said this man 662 00:36:00,935 --> 00:36:01,936 is the ringleader 663 00:36:02,002 --> 00:36:03,537 of the biggest drug network 664 00:36:03,604 --> 00:36:04,672 in Southeast Asia. 665 00:36:08,042 --> 00:36:09,443 After Xaysana was arrested 666 00:36:09,510 --> 00:36:14,748 we ran a major story on him 667 00:36:16,217 --> 00:36:19,720 showing his Facebook photos 668 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,457 that highlighted his lavish lifestyle 669 00:36:23,524 --> 00:36:26,227 in both Thailand and Laos. 670 00:36:28,629 --> 00:36:30,197 Xaysana was unlike any other 671 00:36:30,297 --> 00:36:32,733 trafficker in the Golden Triangle. 672 00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:34,969 He had flashed his lavish lifestyle 673 00:36:35,035 --> 00:36:36,837 all across social media. 674 00:36:37,438 --> 00:36:38,439 His arrest 675 00:36:38,539 --> 00:36:40,241 made headlines around the world. 676 00:36:48,449 --> 00:36:50,050 After the arrest of Xaysana 677 00:36:50,117 --> 00:36:54,255 on 19 January 2017 678 00:36:54,989 --> 00:36:55,990 the police held him 679 00:36:56,090 --> 00:36:57,324 at the NSB headquarters 680 00:36:57,391 --> 00:36:59,627 and began the interrogation. 681 00:37:03,163 --> 00:37:05,599 Due to the serious nature of his crimes 682 00:37:05,666 --> 00:37:07,735 he could be remanded for 84 days 683 00:37:07,801 --> 00:37:09,136 under the court's jurisdiction. 684 00:37:14,475 --> 00:37:15,476 It gave the police time 685 00:37:15,576 --> 00:37:17,177 to find evidence and build the case. 686 00:37:26,453 --> 00:37:28,689 He told the police 687 00:37:28,756 --> 00:37:32,493 that he wasn't the ringleader. 688 00:37:32,559 --> 00:37:33,727 He was just a middleman 689 00:37:33,794 --> 00:37:35,829 sending drugs from Laos. 690 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:42,870 Police then gathered more evidence 691 00:37:42,970 --> 00:37:43,871 to support their case. 692 00:37:45,472 --> 00:37:50,177 Police found Xaysana's cell phone 693 00:37:50,244 --> 00:37:52,680 and retrieved the old messages 694 00:37:52,746 --> 00:37:54,715 backed up on his phone. 695 00:37:54,815 --> 00:37:56,650 Even though Xaysana had swapped 696 00:37:56,717 --> 00:37:58,952 his SIM card for a local card. 697 00:38:00,854 --> 00:38:02,856 His messages detailed 698 00:38:02,923 --> 00:38:04,058 millions of dollars 699 00:38:04,124 --> 00:38:05,492 worth of drug deals. 700 00:38:05,893 --> 00:38:07,394 And police could see 701 00:38:07,494 --> 00:38:08,595 that he was chatting with 702 00:38:08,696 --> 00:38:10,331 many known dealers. 703 00:38:11,131 --> 00:38:13,400 These messages were the evidence 704 00:38:13,467 --> 00:38:14,768 that police needed. 705 00:38:15,736 --> 00:38:17,671 The messages connected him 706 00:38:17,771 --> 00:38:20,507 to the big drug busts 707 00:38:21,775 --> 00:38:23,177 and the traffickers 708 00:38:23,243 --> 00:38:27,047 that were working for him. 709 00:38:34,154 --> 00:38:40,627 Police followed the money trail 710 00:38:40,728 --> 00:38:43,731 and found the stash of US$30 million 711 00:38:43,797 --> 00:38:45,799 that he had hidden. 712 00:38:47,768 --> 00:38:49,670 After receiving payment 713 00:38:49,770 --> 00:38:51,338 from his drug deals 714 00:38:51,638 --> 00:38:52,706 he'd transfer the cash 715 00:38:52,806 --> 00:38:53,907 to his money-laundering gang 716 00:38:54,007 --> 00:38:55,042 in Thailand. 717 00:38:55,809 --> 00:38:58,846 It would then be sent to someone 718 00:38:58,912 --> 00:39:00,414 in the border of Thailand 719 00:39:00,481 --> 00:39:01,749 and the transferred cash 720 00:39:01,849 --> 00:39:03,117 would be withdrawn 721 00:39:03,217 --> 00:39:04,718 and handed over to Xaysana in person. 722 00:39:07,254 --> 00:39:08,522 Xaysana would then use it 723 00:39:08,589 --> 00:39:09,890 to finance his businesses 724 00:39:09,957 --> 00:39:13,327 and buy properties and luxury cars. 725 00:39:15,796 --> 00:39:17,831 This is how drug traffickers 726 00:39:17,931 --> 00:39:20,868 launder money. 727 00:39:22,336 --> 00:39:23,837 Xaysana had no qualms 728 00:39:23,937 --> 00:39:26,006 about being in the public eye 729 00:39:26,073 --> 00:39:27,274 because he thought 730 00:39:27,374 --> 00:39:29,376 he wouldn't get caught 731 00:39:29,443 --> 00:39:32,246 since he wasn't directly involved 732 00:39:33,347 --> 00:39:35,416 in the drug trafficking. 733 00:39:38,752 --> 00:39:41,288 I was very proud 734 00:39:42,656 --> 00:39:46,093 to be doing business with Xaysana. 735 00:39:48,328 --> 00:39:49,730 He was very good at the job 736 00:39:49,797 --> 00:39:51,565 and he was extremely talented. 737 00:39:52,666 --> 00:39:55,335 I'm truly sorry he got arrested. 738 00:39:56,203 --> 00:39:57,438 At this point 739 00:39:57,538 --> 00:39:59,673 police finally had all the evidence 740 00:39:59,773 --> 00:40:01,475 they needed to go to trial. 741 00:40:05,846 --> 00:40:09,149 The charges were conspiracy to commit 742 00:40:09,249 --> 00:40:11,718 money laundering and drug trafficking. 743 00:40:15,722 --> 00:40:17,891 After he confessed, he thought that 744 00:40:17,958 --> 00:40:19,960 since he didn't own the drugs 745 00:40:20,027 --> 00:40:21,929 his sentence should be lighter. 746 00:40:21,995 --> 00:40:23,831 But in Thailand, the penalty's the same 747 00:40:23,931 --> 00:40:24,998 whether you're a middleman 748 00:40:25,065 --> 00:40:27,000 or a trafficker. 749 00:40:27,067 --> 00:40:29,269 You're still conspiring to sell drugs. 750 00:40:30,871 --> 00:40:32,272 There is nothing 751 00:40:32,372 --> 00:40:34,374 a mafia drug lord can do 752 00:40:34,808 --> 00:40:37,444 when he makes a mistake like this. 753 00:40:38,612 --> 00:40:40,614 Drugs are toxic 754 00:40:40,681 --> 00:40:44,017 to a country's security and welfare 755 00:40:44,084 --> 00:40:45,085 so in Thailand 756 00:40:45,152 --> 00:40:46,386 the government is serious about 757 00:40:46,487 --> 00:40:47,855 cracking down on all drug crimes. 758 00:40:49,790 --> 00:40:50,791 Especially the traffickers 759 00:40:50,891 --> 00:40:51,792 if you're caught 760 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:55,429 it's either the death sentence 761 00:40:55,529 --> 00:40:57,731 or life in jail. 762 00:41:06,974 --> 00:41:12,279 After hearing the cross examination 763 00:41:12,713 --> 00:41:14,715 on 20 March 2018 764 00:41:14,815 --> 00:41:16,083 the criminal court 765 00:41:16,149 --> 00:41:19,720 announced its decision. 766 00:41:20,754 --> 00:41:22,089 The court found Xaysana guilty 767 00:41:22,756 --> 00:41:24,791 and sentenced him to death. 768 00:41:31,532 --> 00:41:33,400 But later, the penalty was reduced 769 00:41:33,467 --> 00:41:35,269 and he was given a life sentence 770 00:41:35,369 --> 00:41:37,004 since he confessed. 771 00:41:38,572 --> 00:41:41,008 The court saw that he had cooperated 772 00:41:41,642 --> 00:41:44,878 with the police, giving them 773 00:41:44,978 --> 00:41:49,082 information about drug smuggling 774 00:41:49,149 --> 00:41:50,951 in the southern part of Thailand. 775 00:41:51,919 --> 00:41:55,322 So the judge reduced his penalty 776 00:41:55,389 --> 00:41:59,526 to a life sentence 777 00:41:59,593 --> 00:42:03,096 for both charges. 778 00:42:08,402 --> 00:42:12,439 We've deployed the investigation team. 779 00:42:12,773 --> 00:42:14,875 He made the mistake of 780 00:42:14,975 --> 00:42:16,510 underestimating Thai law 781 00:42:16,610 --> 00:42:20,147 and the ability of authorities here. 782 00:42:23,483 --> 00:42:25,285 Xaysana challenged the ruling 783 00:42:25,953 --> 00:42:28,055 in the Court Of Appeals. 784 00:42:29,923 --> 00:42:33,493 But the process can be very lengthy. 785 00:42:34,595 --> 00:42:36,697 If the evidence lacks credibility 786 00:42:37,197 --> 00:42:39,066 the court won't accept it 787 00:42:39,166 --> 00:42:41,935 and will give out the same verdict 788 00:42:42,002 --> 00:42:45,339 or an even more severe penalty. 789 00:42:53,947 --> 00:42:56,249 Xaysana will most probably 790 00:42:56,316 --> 00:42:58,251 spend the rest of his life in jail. 791 00:42:59,353 --> 00:43:00,921 - Sir, drugs. - Get down! 792 00:43:00,988 --> 00:43:02,856 - Hands behind your back. - Kneel! 793 00:43:02,923 --> 00:43:03,857 Stay still. 794 00:43:04,691 --> 00:43:05,959 I am proud 795 00:43:06,026 --> 00:43:09,396 to be part of Xaysana's arrest. 796 00:43:10,130 --> 00:43:11,431 He was a big-time drug lord 797 00:43:11,531 --> 00:43:12,766 in the game. 798 00:43:13,734 --> 00:43:19,172 Xaysana was a high-ranking dealer 799 00:43:19,239 --> 00:43:21,041 in Asia 800 00:43:21,108 --> 00:43:22,809 but there are still 801 00:43:22,876 --> 00:43:25,012 much bigger drug lords out there 802 00:43:25,078 --> 00:43:27,481 and the police still don't know 803 00:43:27,547 --> 00:43:28,949 who they are. 804 00:43:30,350 --> 00:43:31,485 Since I retired 805 00:43:32,152 --> 00:43:34,087 the drug trade has continued. 806 00:43:34,388 --> 00:43:35,489 It's gotten worse 807 00:43:35,555 --> 00:43:36,923 with no end in sight. 808 00:43:38,158 --> 00:43:40,727 As long as there is a demand 809 00:43:40,794 --> 00:43:42,729 for their illicit products 810 00:43:43,096 --> 00:43:44,831 there's always gonna be a supply chain. 811 00:43:46,199 --> 00:43:47,734 It's a great time 812 00:43:47,801 --> 00:43:48,835 to be a drug trafficker 813 00:43:48,935 --> 00:43:50,037 in the Golden Triangle. 814 00:43:51,605 --> 00:43:52,973 With drug warlords 815 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:54,841 in the Golden Triangle 816 00:43:54,908 --> 00:43:55,976 take one out 817 00:43:56,043 --> 00:43:57,678 pretty soon, another one emerges. 818 00:44:01,715 --> 00:44:03,250 Someone else replaces them. 819 00:44:03,316 --> 00:44:04,851 Someone fills the void.