CHIANG MAI — Police and soldiers in northern Thailand seized more than half a tonne of crystal methamphetamine during a dramatic late-night operation in Chiang Dao district, though the driver of the drug-laden vehicle managed to escape.
Around 11:30pm on May 8, officers stationed at a checkpoint at the Mae Ja intersection spotted a single-cab Toyota pickup truck bearing Lamphun license plates. The vehicle matched a description provided in a tip-off about drug trafficking in the area.
The truck, fitted with a steel cage, approached the checkpoint but abruptly made a U-turn upon seeing authorities. Officers gave chase as the driver sped off toward Wiang Haeng district. After a pursuit spanning roughly three kilometres, the driver abandoned the vehicle by the roadside and fled into the surrounding darkness, using the rugged terrain and low visibility to evade capture.
Inside the pickup, officers discovered 25 large sacks, each weighing about 20 kilograms, filled with crystal methamphetamine. Altogether, the haul amounted to over 500 kilograms of narcotics, representing a significant blow to drug trafficking networks operating near Thailand’s northern border regions.
Shortly after 1:30am on May 9, police visited the Chiang Dao home of the vehicle’s registered owner, identified as Thanachit, 26. However, he was not there, and his wife told officers she did not know his whereabouts, saying he had not returned home. A search of the property turned up nothing illegal.
The operation involved a coordinated effort by soldiers from the Phadong unit, officers from the 2nd Division of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, border patrol police, and local Chiang Dao officers.
Authorities have transferred the seized drugs to police headquarters in Chiang Mai for further investigation. Police say they are actively pursuing leads to identify and apprehend those responsible for transporting the massive drug shipment.
