A popular Malaysian singer and five of her accomplices were charged on Nov 4 with allegedly bringing more than 6,000 methamphetamine pills across the border to Thailand.
Some 50 commando policemen were deployed to provide security as Wan Norsahidah Azlin Wan Ismail, 28, and five fellow Malaysians were being transported to Narathiwat Court on Nov 4 morning.
The singer, who records under the name Eda Ezrin, made it big with her hit Cinta Setandan Pisang, and the Thai authorities had to step up security as many of her fans had crossed the border to provide her with moral support.
Police arrested the six suspects at their hotel rooms at 3.30am on Nov 1 and found 6,060 methamphetamine pills in one of the rooms.
The suspects were identified as Mohamad Alif Deraman, 32; Mohamad Affendi Ahmad, 34; Nur Aida Mamat, 32; Eridieka Mohd Noor, 31; and Zuhaira Nasrin, 25.
Police had to cordon off the crowd as fans surged towards the pop star, who covered herself with a veil and wore sunglasses while being escorted to court.
Her arrest made headlines in Malaysia, with plain-clothes Malaysian police dispatched to observe the interrogation at the police station.
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A Malaysian police officer, who requested anonymity, said this alleged drug ring had been monitored for a while now, but they did not have enough evidence to make arrests.
After learning about the bust-up in Thailand, they crossed over to observe the investigation.
A source at Sungai Kolok Police Station said none of the six suspects confessed they owned the meth pills and reserved their right to testify only in court. However, police said, urine tests revealed all six of them had consumed the drug.
The suspects have been charged with having meth pills in their possession with the intent to sell and consume them. Two suspects were also charged with unlawful entry as their passports did not have an entry stamp. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK