Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

Police have seized 6.8 million methamphetamine pills and 300 blocks of heroin with an estimated value exceeding 100 million baht after intercepting a ten-wheel lorry in Ratchaburi province. The drugs were concealed beneath more than 100 sacks of rice to evade detection and one man travelling in the vehicle was detained while the driver fled the scene. Authorities said the seizure prevented a major consignment from reaching the domestic market.

 

The operation took place on 22 December when Pol Maj Gen Pratchya Thongnamwon, commander of Ratchaburi Provincial Police, received coordination from Pol Col Paitoon Ngamlap, superintendent of Sub-Division 1 of the Central Investigation Bureau. Officers from Pak Tho Police Station were deployed to assist at a roadside location in Ban Nong Khao Than, Moo 5, Don Sai subdistrict, Pak Tho district, Ratchaburi. The team was joined by Pol Col Thanaboon Thatchasrikarnsakul, head of the Ratchaburi forensic unit.

 

At the scene, police found a white Hino ten-wheel lorry registered in Suphan Buri. The rear of the vehicle carried more than 100 sacks of rice stacked as a decoy, but inspection revealed sacks containing large quantities of methamphetamine pills and heroin hidden inside. A man identified as Mr Suwan, who was riding in the lorry, claimed he had been invited to accompany a rice delivery and was unaware of the drugs and he was taken into custody for further questioning.

 

The lorry driver abandoned the vehicle and escaped before officers could detain him. All seized items were transported to Pak Tho Police Station for documentation before being handed over to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. Preliminary checks confirmed the haul consisted of 6.8 million methamphetamine tablets and 300 blocks of heroin weighing about 100 kilograms in total, with an estimated value of more than 100 million baht.

 

Investigators said the drug sacks had been modified into shoulder bags, suggesting they were transported from Thailand’s northern border areas. Police in Chiang Rai had earlier arrested a drug user, and an examination of the suspect’s mobile phone revealed images of the same lorry loaded with drug-filled sacks concealed by rice. Officers tracked the vehicle’s route using CCTV footage until it was located in Ratchaburi.

 

Daily News reported that authorities said the identity of the fleeing driver is known and arrest warrants will be sought. Police are continuing to expand the investigation to identify and prosecute all those involved in the trafficking network.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Police seized 6.8 million methamphetamine pills and 300 blocks of heroin worth over 100 million baht.

• The drugs were hidden beneath more than 100 sacks of rice in a ten-wheel lorry intercepted in Ratchaburi.

• One suspect was detained while the driver escaped, and further arrests are being pursued.

 

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 Adapted  by  Asean Now from Dailynews  2025-12-23

 

 

Quite a haul to capture there. Good riddance to the worst types of drugs being imported to Thailand

So who was the rat and where was he on the chain? That's a pretty big loss...