Chiang Mai sting seizes 5.6 million meth pills with teen involved

A drug bust in Chiang Mai province led to the shocking discovery that a 14 year old boy was among two individuals apprehended with a massive haul of 5.6 million methamphetamine pills. The early morning operation conducted by the police successfully intercepted the drug transport before it could pass through a checkpoint.

Chiang Mai police, in an orchestrated sting operation, seized 28 sacks filled with approximately 5.6 million methamphetamine pills from a vehicle attempting to evade a checkpoint. The operation took place around 3.30am on May 4.

During the incident, one suspect managed to escape, leaving behind the 14 year old boy, known as B. (an alias), in the vehicle. The startling involvement of a minor in such a large-scale drug trafficking operation has brought a renewed focus on the exploitation of youth in illegal activities.

The teenager, initially identified only as B, was offered 20,000 baht (US$ 540) to accompany the driver, a man known only as Tia from a nearby village, who fled the scene. The police are currently expanding their investigation to locate the escaped suspect and to unravel the broader network behind this drug trafficking operation.

The police had been tipped off about a potential drug movement through their area by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. Acting on the intelligence, officers from the Lhong Khod Police Station in Chiang Mai province established a checkpoint on the Chiang Mai-Phrao road as part of the Vigilance Gate operation. The police’s swift response was part of a larger strategic effort to combat the flow of narcotics in the region, reported KhaoSod.

As the Ford Everest approached the checkpoint, officers signalled for the vehicle to stop for inspection. Instead, the driver accelerated in an attempt to flee but was quickly blocked by police vehicles strategically positioned at the checkpoint. The ensuing chase ended when the suspect’s vehicle crashed into an electricity pole and the driver ran into a nearby lychee orchard under the cover of darkness.