Drug kingpin sentenced by Thai court to 25 years in jail, son given death penalty

BANGKOK, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- A suspected drug kingpin in northern Thailand was sentenced by a court to 25 years in prison on drug dealing charges on Wednesday.

The Criminal Court ruled Lao Ta Saenlee, 77, and his wife, Asama Saenlee, 67, guilty of trading one kilogram of methamphetamine for 550,000 baht (about 16,176 U.S. dollars) to a police detective, who disguised himself as a drug dealer, in Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai province last year.

Lao Ta, known as a surrogate of drug warlord Khun Sa, and his wife would have been given a life sentence if they had not confessed to the charges, police said.

Besides, the couple were demanded by the court to pay 2.5 million baht (about 73,529 U.S. dollars) in fine each.

Meanwhile, Wicharn Saenlee, 41, a son of Lao Ta, and Baramee Barameekuakul, 38, an employee of the drug kingpin, were sentenced to death penalty on charges of trading 19 kilograms of methamphetamine for 11 million baht (about 323,529 U.S. dollars) to another police detective, who disguised himself as a drug dealer, in Chiang Mai last year, the police said.

Besides, a fifth suspect, identified as Rapheekarn Photphetcharaluck, 57, a woman employee of the drug lord, was sentenced to life in jail for similar drug dealing charges.

All the five drug suspects have vowed to fight for themselves in the Appeals Court at a later date. Enditem