Thai court to extradite drug suspect to U.S.

BANGKOK, May 19 (Reuter) A Thai criminal court on Monday approved an
American request to extradite Li Yung Chung, a suspect accused of
masterminding the biggest heroin haul in U.S. history.

The Bangkok court said Li, who was sent back to Bangkok from Burma on
Saturday after he skipped bail and left Thailand in March, would be detained
in the Thai capital for 15 days in case he decided to appeal the decision.

Li, handcuffed and dressed in a beige Tshirt and khaki shorts, said in a
calm voice: ``I am pleased for the quick justice system in deciding to
extradite me and I am confident of my legal defence in the United States.''

A prosecution source, who declined to be named, told Reuters Li had had told
him during questioning that he had spent 20 million baht ($769,000) bribing
Thai officials to help him jump bail in March.

But Li, an ethnic Chinese with Thai citizenship, refused to answer reporters
when asked if he had paid bribes.

Thai press reports said Li was concerned for his own safety, fearing he may
be a target of assassination by people who had arranged his escape from
Thailand earlier this year.

Thai authorities said in March they believed Li had fled to Burma after being
granted bail by a Thai judge in early February.

He was indicted by a New York court in May 1996 in connection with a 486kg
(nearly 1,070lb) heroin haul in Hayward, California, in 1991.

The Burmese government in March had denied it was sheltering Li, the main
suspect in a drug haul worth up to $122 million.

Drugs officials put the U.S. street value between $180,000 to $250,000 per
kg, making the haul worth $87.5 million to $122 million.

Li was the second major drug suspect wanted in the United States who had
taken refuge in Burma.

Opium warlord Khun Sa, also wanted on drugs charges in the United States, is
living in Rangoon after surrendering to Burmese troops last year. Burma has
vowed not to extradite him and said the government would deal with him in its
own way.