On August 5, in the Mae Fah Luang District of Chiang Rai authorities seized approximately 15kg of crystal meth (Ya ice) in a forested area hidden under banana leaves.
Chief of the Special Operations Unit in Chiang Rai Province, Mr. Aphichat Srisuwan said soldiers with the 35th Interception and Suppression Hawk Unit discovered approximately 15 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine on the way up to Doi Tung.
The crystal meth was packaged in 15 packages of pink tea, weighing 1 kilogram each. The total weight of the crystal methamphetamine was approximately 15 kilograms.
However, no one was found in the area. It is believed that the drug runner was aware of the situation and fled. The officers therefore seized it as evidence and sent it to Mae Fah Luang Police Station for further legal investigation.
On Aug 4, Chiang Rai Police and Police in Phrae have seized 600kg of crystal meth, 4 vehicles and arrested 5 smugglers. The Chiang Rai provincial police reported that they intercepted a pickup truck transporting 150kg of crystal meth (ya-ice) in Mae Sai district hidden under the truck bed.
After the suspect was taken to the Mae Sai police station for further questioning he revealed that he was in a convoy with three other vehicles headed to the Bangkok Metropolitan area where the drugs were to be dropped off at an undisclosed location.
The suspect said that three Toyota passenger van had been modified to transport drugs and had hidden secret compartments under the head liners.
Chiang Rai Provincial Police then sent out an alert for checkpoints to be on the look for newer white Toyota Commuter passenger vans.
Two vans were intercepted in Chiang Rai Province and another at a roadside checkpoint in Phrae Province. Each Toyota Commuter passenger van was carrying 150Kg of crystal meth (ya-ice), hidden under the headliners.
Three drivers and one passenger were arrested, all residents of Chiang Rai. They were all sent to local police stations for formal charges to be laid.
Police in northern Thailand have (especially Chiang Rai) been cracking down hard on drug smugglers. They have been conducting drug raids throughout northern Thailand and setting up roadblocks to catch smugglers. They have employed the use of sniffer dogs at checkpoints to sniff out hidden drugs in vehicles.
According to Provincial police region 5 arrests are on the rise, and large quantities of drugs are being seized. The Royal Thai Police aim to cut off the drug supply in order to reduce crime in local communities.
Other Chiang Rai News:
Police Intercept Drug Convoy From Chiang Rai Province
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.
