Residues of cyanide have been found in tea bags obtained from the car of Thai serial murder suspect “Sararat”, according to police, quoting a toxicology expert.

Dr. Weerachai Phutdhawong, a lecturer at the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science at Kasetsart University, was asked by the police to test all the evidence they have obtained which could be tainted with cyanide.

Dr. Weerachai used Ion Chromatography (IC) to analyse the content in the tea bag, each weighs about 15 milligrams, and found a high concentration of potassium cyanide (KCN) which, he said, is enough to kill a person in 6-10 minutes. Further testing is required, however, to confirm this finding

Sararat is currently being detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution on murder and attempted murder charges related to 11 deaths and one non-fatal poisoning. All the victims were connected to the suspect, mostly through financial transactions.

In an extended investigation, police searched a company in a 4-storey shop house in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang area yesterday (Tuesday), as police had reason to believe that the company could be the source of the suspect’s cyanide.

An official of the company reportedly told the police that the company has been buying cyanide from an importer, but only when there is an order from a customer and the company does not keep it in stock.

The official also said that trading in cyanide of not more than one tonne does not require a permit from the authorities, which police admitted is a loophole which allows any individual to possess the lethal poison.