Teenager Caught Smuggling Meth Worth 19 Million Baht in Thai-Lao Operation

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

A 17-year-old was apprehended for transporting a massive haul of methamphetamine, valued at 19 million baht, in collaboration with a Lao drug syndicate. The arrest took place yesterday, May 5, as the teenager prepared to receive the narcotics, which had been transported across the Mekong River by boat into Thailand.

Rear Admiral Narong Emdee, commander of the Mekong Riverine Unit, acted swiftly on a tip-off about the planned drug smuggling operation near Ban Bung Suai, in the Mueang subdistrict of Khong Chiam district, Ubon Ratchathani province. In coordination with the Khong Chiam Station intelligence unit, local security forces, and administration, patrols were set up along the riverbank.

During their patrol, officials spotted a white pickup truck stationed at the river's edge. A long-tail boat, travelling from Laos, approached and docked at the intended transfer point. Three individuals from the truck began unloading fertiliser sacks from the boat, which promptly returned to Laos.

As authorities moved in, the suspects abandoned their cargo and attempted to flee. However, security forces successfully apprehended all three. One of the detainees was identified as Watchara, alongside two other 17-year-olds, all hailing from Chuen Chom district in Maha Sarakham province.

Examination of the green fertiliser sacks uncovered 640,000 pills of orange methamphetamine marked with the WY stamp, a type 1 narcotic. The vast quantity of drugs was destined for distribution by inner-region dealers in Thailand's upper northeast.

The suspects confessed to being part of the transport operation organised by a Lao drug syndicate, with a promised payment of 50,000 baht in exchange for delivering the drugs further inland. This apprehension marks a significant operation in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking across the Thai-Lao border, underlining the need for vigilance and collaboration among regional law enforcement.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-06