PHUKET: Six British nationals have been arrested with six kilogrammes of cannabis buds and 39 small tanks of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, during a police raid on a house in Muang district of this island province.
The raid, launched on Thursday, found the six foreign men, all British nationals, were inside the house, the arresting team said on Friday.
Seized during the raid on Thursday were six bags containing 3 kilogrammes of dried cannabis buds beside the door of one of the bedrooms, and another 3kg of buds in six bags inside the room.
The occupant of the room admitted the buds belonged to him, said police. He failed to produce a permit to sell cannabis buds when asked.
The arresting team also seized 39 small tanks of laughing gas from the car park of the house. All six men are being held in police custody.
According to police, the suspects were in Thailand on tourist visas that allowed travel, business dealings and short-term work for no more than 60 days. The visas had not yet expired.
Arrested were Abdifatah Gulaid Abdi Ahmed, 31; Esah Muse Mohamed, 22; Ismail Mustafa Waleed Ahmed Taha, 20; Noah Ihiekwe Chidi Eze, 30; Darian Gledhill, 32; and Kieran Gregory, 26.
Police pose with seized items and the six Britons arrested after a raid on a house in Phuket on Thursday. (Photo: Provincial Police Region 8)