See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:24 BST, 26 May 2026 | Updated: 03:01 BST, 26 May 2026
Thai police have arrested a suspected methamphetamine dealer using a set of novel disguises.Instead of pretending to be dealers or buyers of drugs, five male cops and one female officer dressed up as an all-woman dance troupe to approach their target during a street dance festival in the Thai province of Lopburi. The cops caught the alleged dealer, Mekha Fa-wap-wap, with more than 50 methamphetamine pills and 200 plastic bags used to store and sell drugs. On top of this, a mobile phone that was allegedly used to coordinate an illicit gambling operation was also found. The cops all posed for a photo in brightly coloured dresses behind the seated suspect at a police station in the district of Tha Luang. Cops shared the image online following last Friday's arrest with the caption: 'We didn't want to go out and arrest him, it's a waste of costume rental.'Earlier this year, Thai police officers disguised themselves in a dragon costume to arrest a suspect accused of stealing valuable Buddhist artefacts during Lunar New Year celebrations in Bangkok.Officers hid inside the red costume while responding to reports of a burglary at a senior police officer's home in the city's suburbs. Five male cops and one female officer dressed up as an all-woman dance troupe to approach their target during a street dance festival in the Thai province of LopburiJoin the discussionWhat do you think of police using disguises and deception to catch criminals at public events?What's your view?The 33-year-old suspect was accused of stealing several items, including two 12-inch Buddha statues, with the total value of the stolen property estimated at two million baht (£47,500).Investigators said there were signs of forced entry at the property.The suspect allegedly returned to the home at a later date but fled after being spotted.Police later traced some of the stolen artefacts to a seller known as Jojo the Outlaw, who is believed to frequent temples in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi. Officers previously attempted to arrest him at one such temple, but he became suspicious and escaped before they could detain him.Authorities kept the senior officer's home under surveillance for several weeks in the hope the suspect would return, but he did not. Police were subsequently informed that the suspect planned to meet associates at temples in Sai Noi district. Officers launched an undercover operation near a temple area, posing as members of a traditional lion dance troupe to blend in with the crowded festival setting.Video footage shared online shows the officers moving with the performance as they monitored the crowd. Once they identified the suspect, one officer emerged from the dragon costume and, with assistance from colleagues, tackled him to the ground before completing the arrest.The footage of the operation has since circulated widely online, with many describing it as an inventive approach to apprehending a suspect.
