Local News in Brief : Drug Agents Arrest Thai
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An immigrant from Thailand, described by federal drug agents as a major distributor of illicit drugs from Southeast Asia, was arrested at the Hollywood offices of a Thai newspaper, authorities said Friday.
Thanaranjakool Thatree, 38, of Montebello, was arrested without incident Thursday afternoon at the North Vine Street offices of Khao Sod, a Thai-language newspaper, said Drug Enforcement Administration agent Roger Guevara.
Without citing specifics, Guevara said Thatree is accused of responsibility for the funneling of millions of dollars worth of heroin through Southern California into other parts of this country for the last five years. As part of the investigation, five people were arrested recently by federal agents in Greenville, S.C., Guevara said.
DEA agents said Thatree was an employee of the newspaper, but neither it nor other paper personnel were involved in the drug operation, Guevara said.
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