Police in Phichit have arrested three Myanmar nationals described as ethnic Shan, after seizing 300kg of crystal methamphetamine allegedly destined for central Thailand. The drugs, packed into 10 sacks, were found in a pickup truck after officers pursued two suspected vehicles which had attempted to avoid a checkpoint in Wachirabarami district early on 24 August 2026. Police put the value of the haul at more than 30 million baht. Two vehicles tried to avoid checkpoint Pol Col Saksuthee Khammoon, superintendent of Wachirabarami police station, said officers had set up a drug checkpoint on Highway 117, the Phitsanulok-Nakhon Sawan road, near Ban Krot Ngam in Ban Na sub-district. Police spotted two vehicles travelling at speed together before the checkpoint. Officers positioned ahead of the checkpoint reported that the vehicles appeared to divert away from it, taking Highway 115 from the Pluak Sung-Kamphaeng Phet junction. The vehicles were a Honda saloon car, registered in Lampang, believed to have acted as a scout or lead vehicle, and a cab pickup truck. Police called in additional officers and pursued both vehicles for more than 10km. The Honda was stopped at the turn-off for Ban Nong Hu Chang in Ban Na, around 5km from the checkpoint. Its driver was said to have given confused answers. Officers checked his phone and found a Line group in which he was in continual contact with other members, police said. Drugs found in pickup cab The pickup was later found outside a convenience store in Bueng Bua sub-district, also in Wachirabarami district. Officers searched the silver Toyota, which carried Chiang Mai registration plates. Inside the cab, police found 10 fertiliser sacks wrapped in black plastic tape, each fitted with a pha khao ma cloth strap so it could be carried like a backpack. Each sack allegedly held 30kg of crystal meth, known in Thailand as ya ice. The three suspects were named as Surachai, 25, a Myanmar national living in Chang Phueak, Muang district, Chiang Mai, who police identified as the lead-car driver; and two men both named Chai, aged 28, from San Na Meng, San Sai district, Chiang Mai. One was identified as the pickup driver and the other as his passenger. Police said the men confessed to being hired by a major drug network from a neighbouring country to transport the drugs from the border area in Chiang Mai. They allegedly used Line groups, GPS navigation and the lead vehicle to avoid checkpoints, travelling via a mix of natural routes and main roads. The alleged final destination was Sapphaya district in Chai Nat, where another network was expected to take over for delivery further into central Thailand. Investigators are expanding the inquiry and have handed the suspects to investigators for legal proceedings. Picture courtesy of Amarin Join the discussion? 25 August 2026
View full article
