Chiang Rai drug bust uncovers 500,000 methamphetamine pills
Criminal past resurfaces as massive meth bust exposes deeper trafficking ties
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in Din Daeng announced the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of 500,000 methamphetamine pills in Chiang Rai province. The suspects are linked to a drug trafficking network led by a former convict who had previously served 17 years in prison.
Police Lieutenant General Phanurat Lakboon, ONCB Secretary-General, yesterday, May 26, detailed that the operation stemmed from a tip-off in early April. Suspicious activity was reported involving a person from Sa Kaeo province who rented a room in Chiang Rai.
After checking out, the room was found to contain empty sacks with a methamphetamine odour, prompting further investigation. It was uncovered that the network leader, who had been released from prison in 2024, established a parcel delivery company in Mae Suai district, Chiang Rai, ostensibly to conceal and transport drugs.
On May 22, the ONCB coordinated with law enforcement to track the network’s movements. At 1am, they intercepted two suspicious vehicles attempting to leave a local hotel. The operation resulted in the arrest of two parcel delivery company employees in possession of 500,000 methamphetamine pills hidden in two suitcases within their car.
However, the leader of the operation, his wife, and two accomplices managed to flee in another vehicle. Subsequent searches in four locations across Chiang Rai, Sa Kaeo, and Suphanburi provinces yielded no further arrests or drugs but did uncover documents for examination. Initial charges have been laid against the suspects for possession of a category one narcotic.
During questioning, the suspects confessed to collecting drugs from a mountainous area in Mae Suai district, Chiang Rai. They admitted to transporting drugs on three occasions, receiving between 6,000 and 20,000 baht (US$185 to US$615) per trip, and using public buses.
Drug bust
The first delivery took place in February, involving 500,000 pills to Rangsit district, Pathum Thani. The second was in April, delivering one sack of pills to Sa Kaeo, and the third, in May, resulted in their arrest, totalling approximately 1.6 million pills.
Phanurat highlighted the ONCB’s measures to combat drug trafficking via logistics systems. It is increasingly common for drugs to be distributed through private logistics due to lower costs. The ONCB urges logistics operators to tighten checks and maintain detailed records, including CCTV footage, to accurately identify individuals involved in drug trafficking.
Parin Mekhanan, Director of the ONCB’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau, added that logistics companies are encouraged to prevent drug-related activities among staff, maintain staff records, and cooperate with police when illegal activities are detected.
Companies failing to comply with anti-drug measures may face fines ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 baht (US$310 to 3,070), temporary closures, or licence suspensions. If involvement in drug crimes is found, companies will face legal action, reported KhaoSod.
In this case, the ONCB has ordered the closure of the implicated business and requested cooperation from registration police to scrutinise people opening company branches, ensuring strict standards for package inspection. Police are currently compiling evidence for arrest warrants for the fugitives.
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