In the early hours police in Chiang Rai seized more than 100 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine after a dramatic vehicle pursuit ended in a crash. The driver, however, managed to escape on foot and remains at large.
The incident began around 1 a.m. when officers from the Yothin Patrol, Muang Chiang Rai Police Station, were operating a checkpoint on Sri Wiang Road near Phu Kham Village in Rop Wiang Sub-District. The checkpoint was part of the ongoing “No Drugs, No Dealers” campaign targeting narcotics trafficking routes.
Police spotted a black Toyota Avanza with Bangkok license plates heading towards the city’s eastern bypass. When signalled to stop for inspection, the driver ignored the order, accelerating towards Highway 1233 in the direction of Wiang Chai. Officers immediately gave chase.
The pursuit continued until the vehicle entered a construction zone for the Den Chai–Chiang Rai–Chiang Khong railway, near the border of Rob Wiang and Wiang Chai. At that point, the car lost control and crashed into a roadside barrier, sustaining heavy damage.
When officers reached the wrecked vehicle, they found it abandoned. The driver had fled into the night, leaving the car blocking the roadway. A search of the vehicle uncovered four large sacks, some ripped open from the impact.
Inside the sacks, police discovered bundles wrapped in green tea packaging — a method commonly used by drug traffickers in Southeast Asia. The packages were found to contain approximately 110 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
Authorities seized the drugs and impounded the vehicle as evidence. Police have launched an intensive manhunt for the suspect and are reviewing CCTV footage from surrounding areas to track his movements.
Officials say the seizure is a significant blow to regional drug trafficking networks and underscores the importance of continued highway patrols and checkpoints in northern Thailand, a key transit point for narcotics smuggling routes from the Golden Triangle region.
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