Pictures courtesy of Naewna

 

Chiang Rai police intercepted a drug shipment on 14 November 2025, seizing approximately 6,000,000 methamphetamine pills hidden next to a crematorium in Wiang Chiang Rung district. The discovery followed the suspicious parking of a Mazda pickup truck, abandoned near the Ban Pong Khian crematorium, with no driver present. Authorities confirmed the operation as a significant blow to regional narcotics trafficking.

 

The operation was led by the Chiang Rai Provincial Police, under the direction of Pol Lt Gen Kritthaphon Yeesakorn, with oversight from Pol Maj Gen Manop Senakul. On 13 November, the Chiang Rai Narcotics Suppression Unit received a tip regarding a Mazda pickup carrying vetiver grass, parked unusually long beside the crematorium in Dong Mahawan subdistrict, Wiang Chiang Rung. Initial checks revealed the vehicle did not belong to anyone local, raising suspicions of illegal activity.

 

Officers used AI systems from the Narcotics Suppression Centre Region 5 to track the vehicle, confirming it had passed a Licence Plate Recognition camera at Huai Khrai at 12:34 on 13 November while heavily loaded. Police maintained surveillance overnight, coordinating with multiple departments including the Regional Investigation Division and Wiang Chiang Rung Police Station. At 06:30 on 14 November, a search of the vehicle uncovered 24 coloured straw sacks containing methamphetamine and related documents, confirming the quantity at approximately six million pills.

 

Authorities documented the seizure and transferred the drugs to the Wiang Chiang Rung Police Station for further investigation. Officials indicated that efforts will continue to identify and apprehend those responsible. Naewna reported that the operation aligns with government directives for coordinated and intensified narcotics suppression across Thailand.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Chiang Rai police seized 6 million methamphetamine pills hidden next to a crematorium.

• The abandoned Mazda pickup truck raised suspicions leading to the drug discovery.

• Authorities will investigate further to identify the trafficking network behind the shipment.

 

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  Adapted  by  Asean  Now from Naewna 2025-11-16

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Officers used AI systems from the Narcotics Suppression Centre Region 5 to track the vehicle, confirming it had passed a Licence Plate Recognition camera at Huai Khrai at 12:34 on 13 November while heavily loaded. Police maintained surveillance overnight,

So the police were already following this trucks movements. Then why did it take someone seeing a truck parked at the crematorium that was not from there locally to get the police to find this haul? 

This does not make sense. With all the checkpoints the police have, Why didn't they stop the vehicle on the road to inspect the cargo? 

It actually took someones happenstance of seeing the vehicle abandoned parked for the police to come investigate it. 

On 11/16/2025 at 7:17 AM, thesetat said:

So the police were already following this trucks movements. Then why did it take someone seeing a truck parked at the crematorium that was not from there locally to get the police to find this haul? 

This does not make sense. With all the checkpoints the police have, Why didn't they stop the vehicle on the road to inspect the cargo? 

It actually took someones happenstance of seeing the vehicle abandoned parked for the police to come investigate it. 

They only used AI to track the vehicle after it was discovered in Chaing Rai. They wanted to see where it had come from.