Thai authorities have arrested two women after intercepting 8.62 kilograms of heroin concealed in sunscreen bottles in Chiang Mai, in parcels allegedly being prepared for delivery to Australia.

The seizure was among drug cases announced on 6 August 2026 at Provincial Police Region 5 headquarters in Chiang Mai. Officers said the operations recovered more than 3.2 million methamphetamine tablets, 8.62kg of heroin, arrested three suspects and seized one vehicle.

Lt Gen Kritthaphon Yisakhon, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, announced the results alongside Chiang Mai governor Ratthaphon Naradis, representatives of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), Third Army Region and other agencies.

Heroin concealed in sunscreen bottles

The DSI said it had received intelligence that narcotics were being disguised as everyday goods and sent abroad through an international air-express parcel company in Mueang Chiang Mai district.

Officials inspected two parcels addressed to Australia and found several bottles of sunscreen. Further examination uncovered a white powder, believed to be Category 1 narcotics, or heroin, weighing about 8.6kg.

Delivery records named the sender as Ms Ploy, with an address in Rim Tai, Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai. The intended recipient was listed as Miss Ngoc Nguten in Australia.

CCTV footage showed two women lodging the parcels

Investigators later arrested Ms Ploy, 20, and Ms Wilaiwan, 19, both from Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai, while they were allegedly fleeing in the area of Sathan subdistrict, Chiang Khong. The pair were detained on a regular bus.

Authorities said some alleged organisers and accomplices had previously obtained Hua Sun identity cards in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai, in a case involving fraudulent identity-card registration that DSI regional office 5 had investigated before. The inquiry is continuing to identify senders, recipients, supporters and other members of the network.

More than 3.2 million yaba tablets seized

In a separate case, police seized around 2.5 million yaba tablets in Mae On district, Chiang Mai. Investigators had tracked a network believed to be moving drugs from Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, towards Pathum Thani.

Officers watched a planned meeting point, but the suspect vehicle sped away and was later abandoned at Suan Udom Phan Mai in San Kamphaeng district. Police subsequently caught the suspect and found the tablets in sacks inside the vehicle.

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

In Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, police, soldiers and ONCB officers also seized more than 704,000 yaba tablets hidden in five parcels at a private delivery company. The packages had reportedly been sent from Mae Fah Luang district, and investigators are pursuing those involved.

Provincial Police Region 5 said agencies were working together to stop drugs at their source, during transport and in parcel networks. ONCB Region 5 will examine whether the alleged heroin-export network is connected to previously arrested groups using paid couriers to carry drugs abroad.

Police said heroin production has resumed in countries neighbouring Thailand after output in Afghanistan fell, increasing the use of Thailand as a transit route to third countries.

Between 1 October 2025 and 5 August 2026, Provincial Police Region 5 reported 27,345 drug cases, including 315 major cases. Seizures included more than 420 million yaba tablets, over 10,350kg of ice, more than 105kg of heroin, over 1,300kg of ketamine and more than 410kg of opium, with assets worth over 1.58 billion baht confiscated.

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7 August 2026

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It seems, that more and more drugs are coming into Thailand in recent weeks.

Quite similar to the years, when Chavalit Yongchayudh was PM.

Anutin needs to talk to the neighboring countries to control the situation.

It worries me, that smugglers are using more and more teenagers to smuggle the drugs.

11 minutes ago, Beat666 said:

It seems, that more and more drugs are coming into Thailand in recent weeks.

Quite similar to the years, when Chavalit Yongchayudh was PM.

Anutin needs to talk to the neighboring countries to control the situation.

It worries me, that smugglers are using more and more teenagers to smuggle the drugs.

These were destined to head on out. There seems to be an awful lot heading that way too. Thailand is becoming a transit country?