Police seized about 5 million methamphetamine pills from a car as the driver fled into the darkness in Muang district of Chiang Rai on Monday night
Officers from drug suppression units in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were deployed in Monday night’s operation, led by Pol Col Ratthapong Tiasud,deputy commander of Narcotics Suppression Bureau Division 3.
It targeted a drug trafficking network linked to an ethnic minority group in Ban Huai San of tambon Mae Korn in Muang district of Chiang Rai.
They spotted a white Toyota sedan of interest as it descened a hill on Den Ha-Dong Mada Road and followed it. The driver apparently became aware of the surveillance and turned off onto another road leading to Nong Chang Khot orchard, police said.
The driver stopped, abandoned the car and fled on foot, using the darkness and his familiarity with the area to evade capture.
A search of the vehicle found 10 bags containing 2.4 million meth pills. A search of the surrounding area found another 12 bags, bringing the total seizure to 22 sacks containing about 5 million pills. The car was also seized.
The drugs and the vehicle were handed over to investigators at NSB Division 3.
Forensic officers were examining DNA and fingerprint samples taken from the car, hoping for leads to the masterminds behind the smuggling operation.