Thai police find large lot of drugs in Chiang Rai, Lampang provinces

Thai police have reportedly found a large lot of drugs in the northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Lampang. The police say they confiscated nine million methamphetamine tablets, 20 kilogrammes of ketamine, and 297 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) in three separate seizures.

The first seizure saw police finding 12 plastic boxes with two million methamphetamine pills, 297 kilogrammes of Ice and 20 kilogrammes of ketamine. According to Thai PBS World, the police say they stopped a pickup truck at a checkpoint in Mae Prik, Lampang Province and found the drugs.

The truck driver, named Boonlert, told the police he was delivering the drugs to Pan district in Chiang Ria. From there, the drugs would be delivered to an undisclosed destination. Another car acted as a guide, with police arresting the driver and his girlfriend.

The second seizure saw police in the Sop Prap district of Lampang Province stopping a pickup truck at a checkpoint at Phahonyothin Road, finding one million methamphetamine pills. The truck driver told police they were delivering the drugs in the Mae Suai district of Chiang Rai. The drugs were destined for the southern province of Krabi.

The third seizure saw police chase two pickup trucks that refused to stop for a checkpoint search between the Mae Chan and Chiang Saen districts of Chiang Rai. The drivers abandoned the trucks in the woods and fled. Police say they found six million methamphetamine pills that were in 30 gunny bags.

The 5th Provincial Police Bureau commissioner says police have been ordered to step up checks of vehicles at roadblocks around the clock. As the Thai New Year of Songkran edges nearer, police say drug trafficking activities usually increase during this time.

The commissioner says there are seven major drug factories in an undisclosed neighbouring country. He says the factories can produce several million methamphetamine pills per day. He went on to say that there are also 24 drug storage facilities along the border with Thailand.

The northern area of Thailand is infamous for its drug trafficking as the Golden Triangle is one of the largest narcotics trafficking routes in the world.