Report Chiang Rai Drug Bust: 3.5 Million Pills Seized in Major Raid

[snoop1130]

Picture courtesy of เชียงราย108 Facebook

 

In a striking operation against drug trafficking in Chiang Rai, Thai authorities seized 3.5 million methamphetamine tablets and 60 kilogrammes of crystal meth at a petrol station. This operation, conducted on 24th August, saw police, military, and administrative officials working together to dismantle a significant trafficking network, leading to several arrests and asset seizures.

 

The crackdown, named "NO Drugs NO Dealers," involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and regional police. It resulted in the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of a vehicle used for drug transport.

 

The incident unfolded between 10.30pm and 11.30pm at a PT petrol station in Wiang Pa Pao district, Chiang Rai province, and on the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai road. Authorities seized assets worth around 27 million baht (approximately 877,000 Thai Baht), comprising cash, vehicles, land, and gold.

 

Among the arrested were 47-year-old Yai, 70-year-old Sa-at, and 38-year-old Thanathida, all hailing from Wiang Pa Pao district. The confiscated items included 35 sacks of methamphetamine, totalling about 3.5 million tablets, and five sacks of crystal meth weighing around 60 kilogrammes. The drugs were concealed in a white Isuzu pickup truck, while a second vehicle, a white Isuzu Mu-X, provided route surveillance.

 

The collaborative effort involved Region 5 police, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, military units, and the Royal Thai Police, aiming to disrupt a major drug trafficking network linked to the ethnic Muser group. The operation followed the 11th July seizure of 3.2 million methamphetamine tablets by border patrol police, further connecting this network to activities in the Golden Triangle.

 

Led by key figures Wira Muanchada and Colonel Chaga, the network cleverly hid drugs within agricultural products transported in a specially modified pickup truck. A second vehicle was used to monitor and report on checkpoints, facilitating the transportation of drugs from the Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai border to customers in central Thailand.

 

On the night of the operation, the task force identified Yai driving a white Isuzu pickup filled with agricultural goods, with Sa-at and Thanathida following in the Isuzu Mu-X to scout the route. Yai was intercepted at the petrol station, while Sa-at and Thanathida were apprehended at the Pang Ngiu checkpoint.

 

A thorough search at Wiang Pa Pao Police Station uncovered the hidden drugs beneath the agricultural produce. The suspects confessed to obtaining the drugs in the Phrao to Wiang Pa Pao area, with plans to deliver them to Pathum Thani province. They now face charges under relevant drug trafficking laws.

 

This operation marks a significant success in Thailand's ongoing battle against drug trafficking, highlighting the crucial role of coordinated efforts among various law enforcement agencies.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-08-26