Thai patrol seize over one million meth pills in Mekong bust
Thai border patrol officers seized over one million methamphetamine pills packed in three sacks after a drug smuggling operation was interrupted along the Mekong River. The suspects opened fire and fled in a boat back to Laos yesterday, January 15 in Bueng Kan province.
Bueng Kan’s provincial governor, Worapot Wannachatsiri, assigned Worapan Chamniyan, the province’s deputy governor, along with military and police officials, to announce the seizure of approximately 1,080,000 methamphetamine pills. The operation was conducted by the 2108th Ranger Company of the 21st Ranger Task Force, led by Lieutenant Kowit Wongsaeng.
Police acted on intelligence suggesting a drug delivery from Laos across the Mekong River to Thailand. The operation site was identified as Moo 4, Ban Nong Khankha, in Nong Doen subdistrict, Bung Khla district.
Around 7.30pm, officials spotted a suspicious motorised long-tail boat approaching from the Laos side of the Mekong River. The boat stopped approximately 100 metres from the officers’ position.
Three men were observed carrying items from the boat to the Thai riverbank. When officials revealed their presence, the suspects fired a shot into the air before fleeing in the boat back to Laos.
Upon inspection of the area, officers discovered three black sacks containing a large number of methamphetamine pills, a shotgun, a mobile phone, footwear, a hat, a shoulder bag, drug paraphernalia, and 1,000 Lao Kip. All items were seized and taken to the 2108th Ranger Company for inspection.
Worapan remarked that the smugglers left behind several items, notably the mobile phone. This device will be handed over to the police to trace the drug network, reported KhaoSod.
If any Thai nationals are identified, they will be summoned for questioning. Should any evidence of wrongdoing be found, arrest warrants will be issued, and legal proceedings will follow.
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