Thai Customs officers and narcotics suppression police have 11.8 kilograms of heroin destined for Taiwan and Australia, according to Mr. Theeraj Athanavanich, the director-general of the Customs Department.
On Aug 7 cargo inspected at the port of Bangkok declared as meat grinders and meatball making machines destined for Taiwan. Officers contained 11.8 kilograms of heroin, hidden in the motors of two grinders.
The following day, Thai customs officers discovered 20.25kg of heroin hidden in 600 pieces of hilltribe clothing at Bangkok Port in a shipment was bound for Australia.
Meanwhile, at the Suvarnabhumi airport a search of a package destined for Australia found 320 grams of heroin hidden in the side wall of a postal parcel box.
Mr. Athanavanich stated that the recovered drugs were turned over to the ONCB and NSB for additional investigation, and it was later determined that the drugs were from a drug trafficking ring in Phetchabun province.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Golden Triangle, which connects Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar’s jungle borders, has long been known as the epicentre of an illegal drug trade run by warlord-like military leaders allied with regional organised crime figures.
Last year, Myanmar grew 40,000 hectares (99,000 acres) of opium poppies, with an estimated opium yield of about 800 metric tonnes.
According to the UN, Myanmar’s total illicit opiate economy is currently estimated to be worth $2 billion, with the regional heroin market worth a staggering $10 billion.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
