CHIANG RAI — Authorities in Chiang Rai successfully intercepted a drug smuggling operation, seizing approximately 456 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine following a tip-off and a dramatic pursuit on January 15.
The operation began when a Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck, with Bangkok plates, collided with a local vehicle in the Mae Salong Nai subdistrict, located in Mae Fa Luang district. After the accident, the truck fled the scene, prompting a coordinated response from military and police forces.
Soldiers from the Phaden Base, Task Force Chao Taak, and the Pha Mueang Force, in collaboration with Mae Fa Luang Police Station, received reports from residents. The vehicle, which was involved in the collision, was spotted fleeing towards the Mae Salong Nok subdistrict. Following the lead, military and police personnel pursued the truck, eventually discovering it abandoned by the roadside in Ban Lao Sip, Moo 3, Mae Salong Nok.
The Mitsubishi truck was found with its front-right wheel damaged, making it inoperable. However, the driver was not located. Upon inspecting the vehicle, authorities found 22 colorful woven bags in the back seat and truck bed, containing crystal methamphetamine.
The total weight of the meth seized was 456 kilograms, with the drugs packed in bags weighing between 16 and 21 kilograms each. Authorities have confiscated the drugs as evidence, and efforts are ongoing to track down the suspect responsible for the smuggling.
In a separate drug bust, police in Nakhon Pathom arrested two suspects and seized over 70 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a secret compartment beneath a staircase. The drugs were intended for distribution, and one suspect has denied all charges. The arrest came after a drug raid conducted by senior police officers on January 12 at a residence in Bang Khaem, Mueang district, Nakhon Pathom province.
The suspects, 31-year-old Chaiwat and 25-year-old Sitthichai, have been arrested in connection with the meth trafficking operation.
