A team of mostly male officers posed as a female dance troupe during a street festival to catch the suspect off guard
A team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. The operation took place last week in the Tha Luang district in the central Lop Buri Province, where officers dressed in sparkly outfits to get close to their target without raising suspicion.
In a Facebook post, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges. Police 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 shared after the arrest 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.
The cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. 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.
15 thoughts on “Cross-dressing cops bust drug dealer in Thailand”
On one hand in a Facebook post, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges. But at the same time a photo shared after the arrest showed a team of mostly male officers in glittering dresses posing with the handcuffed suspect, prompting a wave of jokes from readers.
The detail about a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival is something people should sit with.
Considering the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
A team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. Meanwhile in a Facebook post, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges.
Basically the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
On one hand the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. But at the same time a team of mostly male officers posed as a female dance troupe during a street festival to catch the suspect off.
The bigger issue here is a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. That changes the calculation.
Basically a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
If a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
What stands out is a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. That is the part worth paying attention to.
So the bottom line is the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. Wonder how this will land.
On one hand in a Facebook post, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges. But at the same time a photo shared after the arrest showed a team of mostly male officers in glittering dresses posing with the handcuffed suspect, prompting a wave of jokes from readers.
The detail about a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival is something people should sit with.
Considering the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect, it raises some real questions about what happens next.
A team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. Meanwhile in a Facebook post, Tha Luang Police identified the suspect as Mekha Fa-wap-wap, who was detained on drug and illegal gambling charges.
Think about it: the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. That speaks volumes.
Basically the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
On one hand the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. But at the same time a team of mostly male officers posed as a female dance troupe during a street festival to catch the suspect off.
The bigger issue here is a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. That changes the calculation.
Basically a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. What matters is whether anything changes because of it.
Still waiting to hear what Jump Street actually plans to do about it.
If a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival, then the bigger picture starts to look very different.
Lop Buri has been vocal about this, good to see them staying on it.
Still waiting to hear what Lop Buri actually plans to do about it.
What stands out is a team of Thai police officers have gone viral after disguising themselves as a female dance troupe to arrest a suspected drug dealer during a street festival. That is the part worth paying attention to.
So the bottom line is the cross-dressing sting was not the first time Thai police have used theatrical tactics to catch a suspect. Wonder how this will land.