‘Cross-dressing’ Thai police bust drug dealer
UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect the police’s admission that the original image was altered with AI
A team of Thai police officers have gone viral after sharing a photo of themselves supposedly disguised as a female dance troupe while arresting a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. The operation is said to have taken place last week in the Tha Luang district in the central Lop Buri Province.
In a Facebook post last week, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges. Police said they seized 53 methamphetamine pills, more than 200 plastic bags believed to be used for drug distribution, and a mobile phone allegedly linked to an illegal online slot-machine operation.
A photo attached to the post showed a team of mostly male officers in glittering dresses posing with the handcuffed suspect, prompting a wave of jokes from readers. “21 Jump Street at play,” one social media user wrote, referring to an American comedy film about undercover cops posing as high school students.
Since the story went viral, the Tha Luang Police Station has expressed gratitude on its Facebook page to those sharing the story.
On Wednesday, however, the station revealed that the image was actually altered with AI and shared the original photos from the bust, showing that the officers were actually dressed in plain clothes when apprehending the suspect.
Nevertheless, using disguises for a drug bust is not uncommon in Thailand, where police have repeatedly used theatrical tactics to catch suspects. In February, Bangkok officers dressed as a red-and-gold lion dance troupe during Lunar New Year festivities to arrest a man accused of stealing Buddhist artifacts.
The Bangkok team had previously also used other disguises, including construction workers, foliage, and Lycra-clad wrestlers, to approach suspects who might recognize plainclothes officers.
“You cannot hide from the invisible, or from what you cannot see,” Bangkok police captain Lertvarit Lertvorapreecha told The Guardian in February, stating that “The fastest way of arresting someone is to surprise them, when they’re enjoying life, not knowing what’s going on around them.”
While the intricate operations have repeatedly gone viral both in Thailand and abroad, Thai police have stressed the goal of the operations is effective law enforcement rather than making social media content or gaining internet fame.
