Lampang drug bust nets 400,000 meth pills worth 500,000 baht

Thai authorities in Lampang successfully intercepted a significant drug trafficking operation, seizing 400,000 methamphetamine pills hidden within a vehicle’s spare tyre.

The arrest took place following a meticulously planned operation that culminated in a routine traffic stop that turned into a major drug bust.

The Governor of Lampang Province Chatchawal Chayabutr and Police Major General Phumipat Nawatrakulphisit, the Provincial Police Region 5 commander, and military and narcotics officers reported the arrest of a suspect from Tak Province. The suspect was caught with a substantial quantity of drugs, valued at around 500,000 baht, which he confessed to purchasing from a neighbouring country to sell in the town of Tak.

On the previous day, local police from the Sob Prap Station set up a checkpoint known for drug interdiction based on intelligence that there would be an attempt to smuggle drugs into the northern region of the country.

An Isuzu pickup truck with licence plate number ผค 2417 Phitsanulok drew the attention of the officers due to the driver’s suspicious behaviour. The driver, identified as Nirand from Tak Province, appeared nervous and evasive, prompting a thorough search of the vehicle.

Despite the initial body search of Nirand yielding no illegal items, a subsequent urine test indicated the presence of drugs in his system. A meticulous search of the truck revealed three hidden compartments, the engine bay, under the bed liner, and within the spare tyre, where approximately 400,000 methamphetamine pills were concealed.

Nirand revealed that on April 22, he had travelled from Tak to Wiang Kaen District in Chiang Rai Province to pick up the drugs. He had previously met a Laotian national known only as J in the Chiang Rai district of Thoeng, who became his contact. The exchange took place at a border market in Ban Kheng, Chiang Rai, where Nirand was to take the drugs back to Tak Province.

The checkpoint operation at Sob Prap Station led to Nirand’s arrest and the seizure of the drugs and vehicle. He now faces severe charges for possession and intent to distribute a Category 1 narcotic (methamphetamine), which carries significant penalties in Thailand due to its impact on both public safety and national security, reported KhaoSod.

Nirand was also charged with driving under the influence of narcotics. Following the arrest, he was handed over to the Sob Prap Station for further legal proceedings.