Authorities Seize 2.5 Million Meth Pills Near Border

Picture courtesy of Naewna.

Security forces in Chiang Rai have seized 2.5 million methamphetamine pills near the Mekong River border in Chiang Saen district, in what is believed to be part of a major cross-border drug trafficking operation.

On the night of 4 August, at approximately 23:00, officers from Narcotics Suppression Operation Unit 32, under the Third Narcotics Suppression Command (NSOU 32), in coordination with the Internal Security Operations Division and local administrative officials from Chiang Saen district, acted on intelligence regarding a drug trafficking attempt.

Authorities had received a tip-off that a large quantity of meth pills would be smuggled across the Mekong River from a neighbouring country into Thailand. The drugs were then expected to be transported along rural roads to storage locations before being moved further into the country.

Security personnel launched a coordinated patrol and surveillance operation, focusing on key rural roads in the area. During their sweep, they discovered a suspicious pile of ten sacks hidden among tall grass along a roadside in Ban San That, Moo 4, Yonok Subdistrict, around 6 to 7 kilometres from the Mekong River.

The sacks had been carefully concealed with branches and foliage, but no suspects were present at the scene. Upon inspection, each sack was found to contain approximately 250,000 methamphetamine pills, totalling around 2.5 million pills.

Officials believe the traffickers abandoned the drugs upon realising they were being monitored and fled the scene.

All seized narcotics have been handed over to Chiang Saen Police Station as evidence. Authorities are now expanding their investigation to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling operation. The seizure marks yet another significant blow to transnational drug networks operating along Thailand’s northern border.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Naewna 2025-08-06