Police in Chiang Rai have arrested a 30-year-old man and seized 240,000 Methamphetamine pills hidden under the truck bed liner. He had already passed several checkpoints and was on his way to deliver the drugs near the Thai-Lao border in Wiang Kaen.
On February 11, officers from the Mae Chan Police Station in Chiang Rai stopped Mr Kong, a resident of Thoet Thai in Mae Fa Luang District, at a checkpoint on Highway 1098, which connects to Highway 1209, in Tha Khao Ploek, Mae Chan District.
Chiang Rai Provincial Police learned that a drug trafficking group planned to transport a significant amount of methamphetamine using a secondary road to avoid the main highway, Phahonyothin Road.
During the operation, officers spotted a white Toyota Revo pickup truck with Chiang Rai licence plates heading from Mae Chan toward Doi Luang District. When the truck entered the checkpoint, the driver, Mr Kong, was ordered to pull over for a search of his vehicle.
While an initial vehicle inspection revealed nothing unusual, Mr Kong’s suspicious behaviour prompted officers to check further. They removed the truck bed liner and found 120 plastic-wrapped bundles containing 240,000 methamphetamine pills. Mr Kong was immediately taken into custody.
A police investigation revealed that the truck had come from the Thailand-Myanmar border in Thoet Thai, Mae Fa Luang District. It had passed through the Akha Junction in Mae Chan and was using a secondary road through Tha Khao Ploek to avoid detection.
The drugs were intended for delivery at a market near the Thai-Laos border in Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai.
Chiang Rai police are tightening border security and setting up more checkpoints to stop drug trafficking into Thailand. Officers are focusing on key routes often used by smugglers to move drugs across the border.
The measures aim to curb the illegal flow of narcotics, which remains a serious issue in the region. These efforts include increased vehicle stops and monitoring suspicious activity near the border. By being more vigilant, authorities hope to reduce drug-related problems affecting local communities.
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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.
