Bangkok – A late-night police operation at a Bangkok entertainment venue led to the arrest of 40 individuals after drug tests came back positive, authorities revealed Friday. The crackdown began with the apprehension of a Vietnamese drug dealer, identified only as “Van,” who was allegedly supplying narcotics in the city’s Wang Thonglang district.

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Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom confirmed that officers had been tracking Van since an arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday. Under surveillance, the suspect was followed to a local bar in the early hours of Friday, where he was taken into custody at approximately 2:45 a.m. Police seized eight packets of “happy water,” 12 packets of ketamine, and five ecstasy pills from his possession.

Following Van’s arrest, officers conducted mandatory urine tests on other patrons and staff at the venue. Shockingly, 40 individuals tested positive for illicit substances, with additional drugs confiscated from their belongings. Authorities also recovered a 9mm firearm from one of the detainees, though the nationalities of those arrested have not yet been disclosed.

40 arrested after drug tests in Bangkok bar https://t.co/LDTMyGneLc

— Bangkok Post (@BKK_POST) July 19, 2025

Pol Lt Gen Siam stated that all suspects are now in custody and will face legal proceedings. The raid highlights ongoing efforts by Thai law enforcement to combat drug distribution networks in Bangkok’s nightlife scene, particularly targeting foreign dealers supplying synthetic narcotics to local venues.

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This operation marks one of the largest recent drug busts in the capital, underscoring the persistent challenge of substance abuse in Thailand’s entertainment districts. Police have vowed to intensify inspections of bars and clubs suspected of facilitating drug-related activities.

-Thailand News (TN)