A routine checkpoint operation in Chiang Rai turned up a shocking discovery when police apprehended a middle-aged man smuggling nearly 200 methamphetamine pills in his underwear, authorities reported.
Under the direction of Pol. Col. Manop Senakul, Commander of the Chiang Rai Provincial Police, and Pol. Col. Kiatsak Chitprasarn, Superintendent of Mae Chan Police Station, officers from Kiew Thap Yang checkpoint, Operation Unit 4, led by Pol. Lt. Sawat Onnuan, conducted inspections on vehicles traveling from Mae Chan District toward Chiang Rai City.
During one inspection, police pulled over a gray sedan. Behind the wheel was Mr. Suwit, 52, accompanied by passenger Mr. Ayu Miche, 28. Officers carried out a thorough search of the vehicle and its occupants.
The search yielded a startling find: 198 methamphetamine pills carefully concealed in the underwear of Mr. Suwit. Officers swiftly took both men into custody and escorted them for drug testing. The tests came back positive for methamphetamine use, according to police reports.
During questioning, Mr. Suwit reportedly confessed to purchasing the methamphetamine pills from an unidentified man in the Ban Wiang Klang area of Mae Khao Tom Subdistrict, Mueang District. He told investigators he paid 1,200 baht for the drugs, claiming they were solely for his personal use.
Investigators also discovered that Mr. Ayu, the younger man in the passenger seat, was allegedly involved in coordinating the drug pickup. Police say Ayu was the one who advised Suwit on which route to take to acquire the narcotics.
Both suspects, along with the seized evidence, were transported to Mae Chan Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Authorities emphasized that intensified inspections at regional checkpoints are part of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in Chiang Rai Province—a region long considered a critical transit point in Thailand’s battle against illicit narcotics flowing in from neighboring borders.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to identify other individuals who may be connected to the drug supply network.
