The Golden Triangle's a beautiful area
but underneath is a dark underbelly.
It's unquestionably the epicenter
of illicit drug production.
In recent years
meth production has exploded.
Nowhere else in the world
are we seeing a meth market
that is so complex
and at the same time so huge.
This region has
on its hands, a meth epidemic.
No! I don't want to!
Thai police believed
that Xaysana Keopimpha was behind
a major drug trafficking syndicate.
He was handsome, charming
and super rich.
He knew a lot of celebrities
and stars in Thailand.
And he wasn't shy about
flaunting it on social media.
Word on the street was
he was worth US$30 million
and was pumping
millions of tonnes of meth
through Thailand.
But proving it and catching him
wasn't going to be easy.
It happened at around 11am.
- Hello. - Hello.
Where are you going?
We're going home.
Are you from here?
I just moved here.
What do you have in the back?
Nothing. Just the two of us here.
Sir.
Step out of the vehicle.
(Foreign language)
- (Foreign language) - Step out.
- Go to the back. - Step out.
Go to the back.
What's in the back of the vehicle?
Clothes.
Open it.
Get down!
Hands behind your back.
- Stay still. - It's all in the back.
We found massive amounts of drugs.
A million yaba tablets were seized.
Worth between US$3 to 9 million
on the market.
As seizures go, this was huge.
We've managed to seize
a large amount of drugs
from this bust.
We found a total of
around one million yaba pills.
The drugs were being smuggled
from Laos down to Malaysia
via Thailand's southern border.
But the methamphetamine
was coming from where
all methamphetamine originated.
The Golden Triangle.
The Golden Triangle's a beautiful area
but there's a degree of lawlessness
kind of under the surface.
The Golden Triangle
is the part of Southeast Asia
where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos
come together.
Basically in a perfect triangle.
Heroin first
made the Golden Triangle famous
in around 1970s.
But by the 1990s
methamphetamine was taking over.
At first, small clandestine labs
began popping up in the jungles
but in recent years
meth production has exploded.
Currently in the Golden Triangle
we see the largest production
of crystal meth in the world
taking place. And what they've done
is set up super labs.
The power of
these methamphetamine super labs
is that they can produce meth
24 hours, seven days a week.
These can manufacture
tonnes and tonnes of meth
in a production run
tens of tonnes actually.
This region has
on its hands, a meth epidemic.
And Thai police were looking for those
who were behind it.
In 2012, police were investigating
a drug trafficking syndicate
that was operating
on the southern border in Thailand.
During the investigation
they traced a phone number
that was linked to
a Laotian luxury car dealership.
That dealership
belonged to a businessman
by the name of Xaysana Keopimpha.
He was handsome, charming
and super rich.
He appeared to love the limelight
but something wasn't quite right
with his story.
Where did his wealth
and connections come from?
Xaysana was going around
telling people that
he'd made his fortune
through logging.
In Laos, logging is still an industry
where you can make a good coin
legal and illegal.
But many people felt that
Xaysana had popped up out of nowhere
that he was making his money
way too fast.
But if Xaysana was in fact profiting
from a drug trafficking syndicate
then Thai police had to
either link him to the money
or link him to the drugs.
That's where the NSB came in.
The Narcotics Suppression Bureau
or NSB
was formed in 1992 to combat
Thailand's growing drug epidemic.
Since the 1960s, Thailand's
northern border with Myanmar
was a major trafficking route
for heroin.
That heroin for the most part
ended up on the streets of America
and Europe.
But come the 1990s
that drastically changed.
Methamphetamine took over.
And that meth flooded the markets
throughout Southeast Asia
including Thailand.
Yaba is essentially
a small speed pill.
It ranges from 10% to 20% meth
the rest is made of caffeine
colors and dyes.
It started out as a workers' drug.
Truck drivers, taxi drivers
they need to work 12 hours a day.
When you use it
you won't be able to sleep.
So people call it the crazy pill.
- Oh my god! - No!
Are you crazy?
Why are you trying to arrest me?
No one wants to hurt you!
I told you, I'm not going!
The outcome is
usually violent hallucinations.
Sometimes you don't even realize
what you've done.
Hurry!
A young boy is seen
being held at knifepoint
by a deranged man
sitting on the side of the road.
Officers are trying to calm him down.
You go into some psychosis
where the world becomes unreal.
No! I don't want to go!
No! I don't want to!
Yaba is now widespread.
During that time, the borders
became heavily militarized
and the NSB, they led that charge.
We're in charge of investigating
all drug-related cases.
The NSB works with
local, provincial and border police
along with customs officials.
Together they try to gather evidence
to take down drug syndicates
operating in Thailand.
They're very much like
the DEA of America
whose main task
is to go after the big fish.
The big crime syndicates.
They constantly monitor the movements
of traffickers and their operations.
Thailand is considered
a vital transit point
for drug syndicates.
In terms of numbers
half a billion yaba tablets
are trafficked through Thailand
every year.
And that's mostly
because of the country's
geographical significance
being right beside the triangle.
It's a key distribution country.
And from Thailand, it gets sent
to the rest of Southeast Asia.
Meth is hitting the streets
of New Zealand, Australia
Japan, Korea, where it commands
the highest price in the world
per kilo.
Whether it's by land, sea or air.
These routes are the main routes
straight from the supplier.
What we've seen is the infiltration
of major transnational
organized crime.
Production is at all-time highs
and so are the profits.
On average, a yaba tablet
costs around five US dollars
in Southeast Asia.
But when we start taking a look
at the higher end methamphetamine
the crystal or the ice
that can sell for
thousands of US dollars per gram.
The difficulty for the NSB
was the complex hierarchy
of these drug trafficking syndicates.
So the way it typically works is that
drug mules move the drugs
onward to couriers
who then pass it on
to other couriers.
It's a chain. And even if the NSB
step into that chain
and arrest intermediaries
it's almost impossible
to find the destination
and who ultimately is behind
the entire shipment.
Get down! Hands behind your back.
- Stay still. - It's all in the back.
For the longest time
Thai police had been searching
for the ringleaders who were shipping
huge amounts of yaba into the country
from the Golden Triangle.
The people we arrested to date
were drug mules.
But drug mules can often
have important clues.
The mule told us he was hired
by a guy called Witwatchai...
or Mr Ae.
We issued an arrest warrant.
The mule told us
this boss had flown
to Hat Yai in the south
and was waiting for them there.
So we headed to Hat Yai airport
to arrest him.
Mr Ae Witwatchai
I called you in here
because I want your cooperation.
It's for your own good.
We found out that
you work for a powerful man.
I don't know what you're talking about.
If you don't come clean
I will prosecute you.
But if you cooperate with us
we'll make you a state witness.
He told us
the name of a Thai trafficker
Mr Chumphon.
There's nothing to worry about.
I'll take care of it.
Thai authorities knew that Chumphon
was only a small-time dealer.
Mr Chumphon
had previously been arrested
for marijuana trafficking.
I also worked with one other guy.
Everyone calls him Brother Lop.
What's his real name?
I don't know.
Everyone just calls him Brother Lop.
Slowly, the NSB was revealing
the drug syndicate's hierarchy.
He mentioned a guy from Laos
called Mr Lop.
We didn't have any information
on who he was.
Thai police had two questions.
Who was supplying the mules
with millions of pills?
And where did this mysterious Laotian
Mr Lop, fit into
the drug syndicate's hierarchy?
Laos has always played actually
quite a crucial role
in the Golden Triangle.
It's corruptible
easy to move things in and out.
It's the only country
that shares a land border with
every other country in the Mekong.
Laos has more than
a 1,000km border
along the Mekong river.
There are literally
hundreds of potential spots
along the way
that syndicates can move their drugs
in and out of Laos
on to other countries
and that makes it extremely difficult
to police.
The remote nature of the Golden
Triangle really does make it
really advantageous
for organized crime.
I mean, you could move product
out of the Mekong River itself.
You can move it out
through the mountains.
You could move it out through roads.
So the drug traffickers use Laos
as a trafficking route.
It's got all the elements necessary
for successful organized crime.
It's a trafficker's paradise
essentially.
And the place was home to Xaysana
the mysterious logging millionaire.
He was in the perfect place to run
a billion-dollar drug syndicate.
But if he was running one
how was he doing it?
Xaysana's social media accounts
showed off his lavish lifestyle.
There were photos of him
with many luxury cars.
He was well-known
among the elite social circle
and owned extensive businesses.
He held many parties.
He was outgoing
and spent a lot of money
just to show off his wealth.
The cars he owned were something that
just hit the sweet spot for me.
They were exquisite.
All my life
I wanted to have what he had.
I heard once
he was trying to bid on a car
worth about US$300,000
and he paid double of that
just to win the bid.
He was known
to hire actors and celebrities
for big events
and it was there that he'd network.
He was really good
at developing relationships
with people who had influence
and notoriety.
People in the entertainment industry
knew Xaysana.
He took pictures with famous people
so he could show it off.
He wanted to use their connections
to grow his business.
Xaysana took these relationships
and then capitalized on them
with new businesses.
At one point, he was into luxury cars
high-end real estate
as well as luxury watches.
The word on the street was that
at one point he was worth
US$30 million.
and it really seemed like
he had a Midas touch.
Every venture he went into
he succeeded at that.
It seemed he couldn't make
a wrong move.
Intelligence from a Thai police source
revealed a shipment of drugs
would be transported
on 1 October 2016.
- Key? - Here.
Where did you park?
Over there.
Freeze.
Get down! Kneel down. Don't move!
The sting was a success.
And police had two new suspects
in custody.
The driver told police that
this was a major trafficking route
that drugs would go from Laos
through southern Thailand
to Malaysia and farther beyond.
The crime syndicate was moving
massive amounts of drugs
along this route
and the driver gave up
a familiar name.
The mystery Laotian, Mr Lop.
The drug mules revealed
that Mr Lop was in fact
running the entire drug syndicate
from Laos.
This was the break
the NSB was looking for.
At this point, the NSB had built up
a profile of Mr Lop
and all signs pointed to Xaysana.
If the police could identify him
they think they could bring down
the whole network.
Then, Thai police got a new lead.
They managed to pull out
phone numbers from the phones
they had seized from the drug mules.
Phone numbers they thought
could belong to the ringleaders
of the drug trafficking network.
They managed to extract two numbers.
The first one was a Thai number.
The second one was from Laos.
Both were stored in the phone
under the name, Mr Lop.
This was the first piece of evidence
that allowed police
to link to Mr Lop.
The Thailand number was a dead end
because it was registered
using a false identity.
And it was beyond our jurisdiction
to trace the Laotian number.
So that came to a dead end too.
The police just didn't have
enough leads.
He remained in the shadows.
The NSB went into high gear.
Slow down.
The light is red, it's red. Act now!
Get out!
Block him in the front.
Get out of the vehicle! Get out!
All resources were devoted
to finding out
who this mysterious Mr Lop was.
Calm down.
Wait. We've been following you.
So the dealer will call you?
Isn't this a Laotian number?
Why is a Laotian number calling you?
We're waiting for him to call us.
You're waiting for him to call?
If he calls you again, pick up
and talk normally. You understand?
The NSB
made an incredible breakthrough.
The phone number
from the seized phones
was in fact linked
to a Facebook account.
The Facebook account
that police found was
in the name of Xaysana Keopimpha.
At first, police couldn't believe it
that a man that had gone
to great strides to hide his identity
from his drug mules had actually
put his phone number online
and linked it to a Facebook account.
Xaysana Keopimpha
the millionaire businessman
the friend to the stars
was actually Mr Lop.
This revelation now linked him
to the drug mules
and, by default, the drugs.
To prove that Xaysana
was, in fact, Mr Lop
the NSB needed a positive ID.
They needed somebody
who had met Mr Lop in person.
If they could prove that
then they were closer to busting
the trafficking syndicate.
They went back to Chumphon prison
to interrogate Mr Ae
who is the first drug trafficker
they had arrested.
What about his appearance?
Well, he's quite tall, fair-skinned
and likes wearing gold accessories.
Stuff like this.
Like this?
Is this him?
Mr Ae confirmed that
the Facebook photo of Xaysana
was Mr Lop, the man he had been
transporting drugs for.
The police couldn't believe it.
Xaysana was successfully
moving trillions of tablets
of methamphetamine
out of the Golden Triangle each year.
But catching him
wasn't going to be easy.
There was no way for Thai police
to get at him.
Then, luck played into
the hands of Thai police.
A source tipped them off
that Xaysana was going on vacation
in Thailand.
Police issued an arrest warrant
for Xaysana.
By liaising
with various government agencies
they figured out he had gone to Phuket.
There were about five people
in his entourage.
We set up
Operation Chaiya Sayop Pairee
with the NSB
the armed forces and the local police.
We followed this group
to see where they traveled to
whom they contacted
where they stayed and what they did
so we could plan the arrest.
Authorities learned he was going to
travel back to Laos through
Bangkok's international airport.
The NSB and other agencies planned
to arrest Xaysana in the afternoon
at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
That morning of 19 January 2017
I was told to go
to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau
before heading
to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Based on our evidence right now
one of the drug lords
from our neighboring country
is about to land
in Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The man we're arresting
is Xaysana.
For the past few years
there have been numerous cases
of drug trafficking
from the northeast
spreading to the central.
On 1st October, we seized
1.2 million at Sikhio checkpoint.
The drug kingpin imported drugs
from our neighboring countries
in the northeast.
The meeting was to explain
what the press were to do
where the reporters should be
and how the investigation team
would arrest him.
We waited near the exit.
They don't know why we're here.
Think we're welcoming a Korean star.
They don't know why we're here.
But we know where they're headed.
We had planned the arrest in detail
and were prepared to grab him
at the airport departure area.
Of course this created quite a stir
at the airport.
There were around 50 officers
with various roles
from different operation teams.
People there were quite shocked
probably thinking
"Hey, what's going on?"
Lie on the ground. On the ground.
Get his passport.
Hands behind your back. Handcuff him.
Don't waste time, do it.
- Take him down. - Give me your bag.
Search him.
Guys, relax. I'm...
Don't, don't switch off your phone.
What's your name?
- Xaysana. - Xaysana, right?
Keep walking.
Hurry up.
- Which gate is the van? - Exit 1.
Xaysana appeared shocked
and surprised at being arrested.
Xaysana claimed he was innocent.
He denied his involvement.
- Gate 1. Come on. - Out this gate.
Take him.
Get ready to take him in.
Get in there.
He's the drug lord we've been
tracking down for five years.
Through the combined efforts
of the NSB
the CIB
and the provincial police
from various regions
we were able to bust their network
and arrest the suspect today.
We're ready to freeze his assets
to disrupt their trading routes
and stop them
from ruining our children's lives.
Xaysana was
the first big arrest in breaking
the major drug trafficking network
in Thailand.
Before Xaysana's arrest
the police had only caught small fry
like the drug mules
and the small-time traffickers
smuggling small quantities of drug.
The arrest was a major coup.
It made prime time news
across all media outlets.
The arrest of major Laotian drug lord
Xaysana Keopimpha
This is a major breakthrough
as he's behind the flow of drugs
from our neighboring country...
Next up, news on Xaysana's syndicate.
Have we gotten to the bottom
of this massive drug network?
Is he really the mastermind?
Or did we just arrest
another pawn in the game?
There is one man
who can give us the answers.
- A Lao national. - Yes.
They said this man
is the ringleader
of the biggest drug network
in Southeast Asia.
After Xaysana was arrested
we ran a major story on him
showing his Facebook photos
that highlighted his lavish lifestyle
in both Thailand and Laos.
Xaysana was unlike any other
trafficker in the Golden Triangle.
He had flashed his lavish lifestyle
all across social media.
His arrest
made headlines around the world.
After the arrest of Xaysana
on 19 January 2017
the police held him
at the NSB headquarters
and began the interrogation.
Due to the serious nature of his crimes
he could be remanded for 84 days
under the court's jurisdiction.
It gave the police time
to find evidence and build the case.
He told the police
that he wasn't the ringleader.
He was just a middleman
sending drugs from Laos.
Police then gathered more evidence
to support their case.
Police found Xaysana's cell phone
and retrieved the old messages
backed up on his phone.
Even though Xaysana had swapped
his SIM card for a local card.
His messages detailed
millions of dollars
worth of drug deals.
And police could see
that he was chatting with
many known dealers.
These messages were the evidence
that police needed.
The messages connected him
to the big drug busts
and the traffickers
that were working for him.
Police followed the money trail
and found the stash of US$30 million
that he had hidden.
After receiving payment
from his drug deals
he'd transfer the cash
to his money-laundering gang
in Thailand.
It would then be sent to someone
in the border of Thailand
and the transferred cash
would be withdrawn
and handed over to Xaysana in person.
Xaysana would then use it
to finance his businesses
and buy properties and luxury cars.
This is how drug traffickers
launder money.
Xaysana had no qualms
about being in the public eye
because he thought
he wouldn't get caught
since he wasn't directly involved
in the drug trafficking.
I was very proud
to be doing business with Xaysana.
He was very good at the job
and he was extremely talented.
I'm truly sorry he got arrested.
At this point
police finally had all the evidence
they needed to go to trial.
The charges were conspiracy to commit
money laundering and drug trafficking.
After he confessed, he thought that
since he didn't own the drugs
his sentence should be lighter.
But in Thailand, the penalty's the same
whether you're a middleman
or a trafficker.
You're still conspiring to sell drugs.
There is nothing
a mafia drug lord can do
when he makes a mistake like this.
Drugs are toxic
to a country's security and welfare
so in Thailand
the government is serious about
cracking down on all drug crimes.
Especially the traffickers
if you're caught
it's either the death sentence
or life in jail.
After hearing the cross examination
on 20 March 2018
the criminal court
announced its decision.
The court found Xaysana guilty
and sentenced him to death.
But later, the penalty was reduced
and he was given a life sentence
since he confessed.
The court saw that he had cooperated
with the police, giving them
information about drug smuggling
in the southern part of Thailand.
So the judge reduced his penalty
to a life sentence
for both charges.
We've deployed the investigation team.
He made the mistake of
underestimating Thai law
and the ability of authorities here.
Xaysana challenged the ruling
in the Court Of Appeals.
But the process can be very lengthy.
If the evidence lacks credibility
the court won't accept it
and will give out the same verdict
or an even more severe penalty.
Xaysana will most probably
spend the rest of his life in jail.
- Sir, drugs. - Get down!
- Hands behind your back. - Kneel!
Stay still.
I am proud
to be part of Xaysana's arrest.
He was a big-time drug lord
in the game.
Xaysana was a high-ranking dealer
in Asia
but there are still
much bigger drug lords out there
and the police still don't know
who they are.
Since I retired
the drug trade has continued.
It's gotten worse
with no end in sight.
As long as there is a demand
for their illicit products
there's always gonna be a supply chain.
It's a great time
to be a drug trafficker
in the Golden Triangle.
With drug warlords
in the Golden Triangle
take one out
pretty soon, another one emerges.
Someone else replaces them.
Someone fills the void.