“Thai Pills” – Ruinous Aphrodisiac In Europe’s Drug Scene

“Ruinous aphrodisiac” – that’s how yaba is described in, yes, Switzerland, a major market of yaba. The name of the drug in Switzerland? “Thai pills.” The drug enjoys a terrible reputation in the little country – mainly due to an intoxication that can last three days and all the other side effects.

But there’s a steady supply of the dope from Thailand to Switzerland – this September a 51-year old Thai-Swiss mother was convicted for the import of over 700,000 Thai pills over six years. Earlier on kingpins operating out of Switzerland got arrested.

The clients? Not laborers, but mainly johns in the red light district – “because of their aphrodisiac power,” says a local doctor. But there’s more to it. The fight against Thai pills in Switzerland soon showed: The trade is related to the trafficking in women.

Swiss police recently smashed a major Asian drug ring using Switzerland as a “test market” for the wider European market. In an August press release they detail the operation and yaba in Europe in general. An informative read – by the way, quiet war against drugs over here, isn’t it:

Press Release, fedpol, 14.08.2001: Swiss police have scored an unprecedented major success in combating yaba trafficking in Europe. Yaba, commonly referred to as “Thai” pills in German-speaking countries, is a powerful and extremely dangerous drug.

A carefully planned police sting, prepared over several months and involving authorities of sixteen Swiss cantons, agents of several departments of the Federal Customs Administration (FCA) and of the Federal Police Office (FOP), resulted in the smashing of an Asian criminal organization that used Switzerland as a hub and test market for yaba.

One hundred and two persons got arrested during operation “Wy”. Among them were the kingpins operating out of Switzerland. A total of 450,000 pills were seized. Furthermore, investigations have yielded both that there is a close link between yaba trafficking and trafficking in women and that the way trade in yaba is organized shows distinct characteristics of organized crime.

A major quantity of yaba pills was first seized in Switzerland in September 1998.

A Thai woman acting as drug courier had been intercepted with 28,000 pills in her baggage and detained at Zurich international airport. In the months following the seizure, there was mounting evidence suggesting that a highly organized drug ring was responsible for yaba trafficking in Switzerland. In 1999 extensive investigations were launched both at home and abroad.

Operation “Wy” involved around one hundred police and customs officials, frontier guards, and senior judicial officers. While cantonal police and judicial authorities were largely concerned with criminal investigations, the FOP was responsible for both the exchange of information and the coordination of national and international inquiries.

Cooperation with police authorities in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Thailand proved to be instrumental in making operation “Wy” a success. Furthermore, experts of the FOP and FCA contributed considerably to informing the public, at home and abroad, about the dangers of yaba.

Test market Switzerland

Targeted by yaba producers and misused as some sort of test market early on, Switzerland, or rather the competent Swiss prosecuting authorities have had an information lead over other European countries regarding the smuggling methods, distribution network, and the effects of yaba. The high Asian population, the country’s location in the heart of Europe, and the short distances to be covered may account for the fact that Switzerland has been chosen as test market.

Initially, yaba was smuggled into Switzerland via Zurich airport and then distributed all over the country. At times, the drug was mailed to Switzerland, or the pills were sewn into clothes or concealed in shipments of dry fish, curry powder, cosmetics, washing powder, and foodstuff of all kinds.

Later trafficking routes expanded all over Europe and yaba pills were distributed from Switzerland to Germany and Austria. Local dealers were especially active in the cantons of Zurich, Bern, Vaud, Basel-City, Thurgau, and Solothurn. Major individual seizures were made in the cities of Biel (44,000 pills) and Bern (35,000 pills).

There is some evidence that attempts have been made at producing the drug in Europe. The pills seized as yet are of Southeast Asian origin, however. While the basic ingredients are chiefly provided by the Chinese, transport is organized by Thai, and trade is largely controlled by Vietnamese nationals.

Trafficking in women

The numerous weapons seized during operation “Wy” bespeak the drug ring’s marked potential for violence. In the present case, the drug runners were directly involved in women trafficking. Induced to travel to Switzerland without knowing the true reason, women were repeatedly misused to act as drug couriers. Initially distributed mainly to Asian people frequenting red-light districts, yaba gradually made its way to the dance clubs and into the rave and techno scene.

What is yaba?

Yaba contains methamphetamine and its chemical structure is related to that of ecstasy (MDMA). Originally from Thailand, yaba (“crazy medicine”) usually comes in the form of pills with two letters, “WY,” impressed on them. As a rule, yaba smells of vanilla and can be smoked on tin foil or swallowed.

The dependence potential of yaba when smoked is considered at least three times as high as that of ecstasy. Yaba has a very strong stimulating effect. When smoked, the drug creates an intense effect similar to that of crack cocaine. Only that its lasts much longer. Side effects may be irreparable physical and psychological damages such as loss of memory and depression or paranoia and violent behavior.

Regular use of the drug is habit-forming. Yaba pills can be distinguished from ecstasy pills by the “WY” sign impressed on yaba pills. Moreover, they are significantly smaller in diameter, are of a different color, and smell of vanilla.

Here a basic explainer:







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October 3, 2008 | Filed Under Nightlife & Entertainment, Society 

Comments

8 Responses to ““Thai Pills” – Ruinous Aphrodisiac In Europe’s Drug Scene”

  1. The Ghost on October 4th, 2008 3.36 pm

    Excellent post.

  2. Michel on October 4th, 2008 8.54 pm

    This is very informative post. I learned a lot. I have to thank you for putting out this kind of information on the net. I’m guessing many people are fooled into buying this kind of drug, despite the side effects and long term damage it causes because there’s so little info about this kind of stuff out there. Kudos to you.

  3. toby on September 25th, 2009 6.36 am

    Yes good video.

  4. Hasan Mahmud on November 8th, 2009 4.39 pm

    Excellent report.

    Need to know about effect and how to stop taking.

  5. natasha on February 13th, 2010 3.27 am

    My BF takes yaba, he promises me that he will not have drugs anymore, he wants to quit, I have been trying to help him … but he didn’t stop. Now days I can’t take this anymore. It seems soon I am going to give up. I can’t trust him. Can’t take this anymore. Don’t know what to do. I really want to help him … I just want to know how will I stop him from all this.

    (BD: Can you convince him to go through a detox? First of all he must want to.)

  6. Matthew on February 13th, 2010 3.37 pm

    Dump the guy, why would you date a ya ba addict when there is other guys around?

  7. natasha on February 13th, 2010 11.07 pm

    Matthew is it easy to dump someone you really love …??

  8. Matthew on February 14th, 2010 11.10 am

    If he turns into a big enough loser then it should not be that hard. You should ask yourself what you like about him so much.

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