Thread: 4.3m meth pills, 81kg ice seized in Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai–A combined military and police force on Saturday (July 1) seized a large quantity of drugs–4.3 million methamphetamine pills and 81 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine or ice–in Mae Sai district.

Col Kidakorn Chantra, commander of the 3rd Cavalry Task Force of the Pha Muang Task Force, and Pol Col Komsan Sa-ardluang, the Mae Sai police chief told a news conference on Saturday (July 1) that at about 4pm on Friday (June 30), while soldiers from the 3rd Cavalry Company and Mae Sai police, led by Capt Makhawat Thapthon, was patrolling near Ban Pa Muad in Tambon Wiang Phang Kham, about 1.5 kilometres from the border with Myanmar, they found 81 green backpacks hidden in the forest.

The backpacks contained 4.3 million methamphetamine pills and 81kg of crystal methamphetamine or ice. It was believed they had been smuggled across the border by couriers who hid them in the forest for further distribution.

Col Kidadorn said drug seizure followed a joint intelligence operation by the 3rd Cavalry Task Force, Mae Sai police, and officials of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board of Chiang Rai.

4.3m meth pills, 81kg ice seized in Chiang Rai - Thai PBS English News

Authorities Find Massive Haul of Abandoned Drugs Behind Tesco Lotus in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai District

CHIANG RAI – Soldiers from the Pha Mueang Taskforce and the Royal Thai Police have recovered 4.18 million methamphetamine pills and 81 kilograms of ketamine aparently abandoned in a forest behind Tesco Lotus mall in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district.

Colonel Kidakorn Chantra, commander of the Pha Mueang Taskforce said soldiers and police found 89 straw sacks modified as knapsacks containing the meth and ketamine in 81 tea bags weighing 81kg.

At 3am on Saturday, soldiers ran a checkpoint behind the Tesco Lotus hypermarket and stopped a black Toyota pickup truck with two men inside the truck, they acted suspiciously but nothing illegal was found in the vehicle.

Colonel Kidakorn said the authorities did not find any illegal items in the truck but they noticed that the brothers appeared nervous and had given conflicting accounts of why they were out driving at an unusual hour. This prompted the order to search the forest nearby, where the drugs were uncovered.

The men would be released if no evidence could be found to link them to the drugs, Kidakorn added.

more Authorities Find Massive Haul of Abandoned Drugs Behind Tesco Lotus in Chiang Rai?s Mae Sai District | Chiang Rai Times English Language Newspaper