Chiang Rai Drug Crackdown Nets 22 Suspects, Millions in Narcotics
CHIANG RAI – Thai police announced the results of a sweeping month-long drug crackdown led by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), resulting in the arrest of 22 suspects and the seizure of an enormous haul of narcotics. Officers confiscated 31.8 million methamphetamine pills, 1,105 kilograms of crystal meth, and 173 kilograms of heroin, alongside 14 vehicles used in smuggling operations.
At a press conference in Chiang Rai on Tuesday, senior officers including Pol Gen Prachuap Wongsuk and Pol Lt Gen Samran Nualma detailed nine major cases across multiple provinces.
One of the key seizures occurred on June 6 in Ngao District, Lampang, when officers arrested two suspects at a garage. Hidden in a pickup truck’s secret compartment were 173 kilograms of heroin, packed into 460 bricks. The truck had been tracked from Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, a known smuggling hotspot near the border.
Another major bust took place on June 14 near the Suan Dok intersection in Chiang Rai. Police intercepted a vehicle and found 5 million meth pills concealed behind the driver’s seat. A related vehicle parked nearby led to a third arrest. All suspects were taken into custody.
In Chiang Mai, authorities made a massive seizure on June 17 after receiving a tip-off about drugs being stashed in San Sai District. Officers found 13 million meth pills stored in 65 sacks by the roadside. Though no arrests were made at the scene, investigations are ongoing.
On June 24, two more suspects were arrested near a hospital in Mae Taeng District, Chiang Mai. Police stopped a heavily loaded pickup and a motorcycle escort, discovering another 5 million meth pills.
Additional arrests and seizures included:
- June 7: Five suspects arrested at Bangkok’s Mor Chit bus terminal with 500 kg of crystal meth. The drugs had traveled from Nong Khai and were hidden on a bus.
- June 9: Two suspects caught with 200 kg of crystal meth in Pathum Thani. The narcotics had been moved from Nakhon Phanom and were intercepted at a petrol station.
- June 15: Six people were apprehended with 4 million meth pills in Nakhon Ratchasima. Four others arriving to collect the shipment were also arrested.
- June 16: A driver was stopped in Hua Hin with 4.8 million meth pills hidden in his lorry bed. The shipment originated in Bangkok.
Police emphasized that the crackdown is part of ongoing national efforts to disrupt large-scale drug trafficking networks operating across Thailand. All suspects have been turned over to prosecutors along with the seized narcotics and vehicles.
Authorities say these operations highlight growing cross-border trafficking activity and the need for continued surveillance and intelligence-driven enforcement.
