Rangers seize riverine treasure trove: Meth stash dumped in daring escape

A considerable haul of over 250,000 methamphetamine pills was seized by army rangers on the Mekong River’s shoreline in the district of Ban Phaeng, Nakhon Phanom province, as three smugglers made a hasty escape. The drugs were found stashed in sacks which were callously abandoned by the fleeing perpetrators.

Acting on a tip-off about an impending drug transaction, the paramilitary rangers set up an ambush at the riverbank in the Ban Phaeng district. In the early hours of today, they sighted three individuals hauling two bulging sacks near Phaeng Tai village, reported Bangkok Post.

Upon being confronted and ordered to halt for an inspection by the rangers, the trio’s response was swift and predictable. They hastily jettisoned the sacks and absconded, disappearing into the night. A subsequent search of the discarded sacks revealed a startling find: 129 packages containing a total of 258,000 methamphetamine pills.

Following the seizure, the narcotics were promptly handed over to the local law enforcement at Ban Phaeng police station.

Three weeks ago, in a massive crackdown on drug trafficking, Chiang Rai Police Force seized nearly two million meth pills in two major cases. From October 1, 2022, to July 19, 2023, the Region 5 Provincial Police intercepted more than 90 million meth pills and confiscated property worth 453 million baht.

The announcement was made today, by a team comprising senior officers from the Region 5 Provincial Police and policy analysts from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board.

The first case took place in the jurisdiction of the Chiang Rai City Police Station, where one suspect was apprehended with 200,000 meth pills. The incident occurred on August 18, around 11.40pm.

The suspect, acting as a courier, had parked a vehicle near the Mong Kao Lang village in Mae Fa Luang district, Chiang Rai. To read more click HERE.

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