National—
On April 4th, 2024, Pha Mueang military patrol officers and relevant agencies received a report from an anonymous source of a massive lot of drug smuggling along the Mekong River, Thai-Lao PDR border, in Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai.
The officers launched an inspection at the report area and found a group of unidentified people docking at the Mekong River and allegedly transporting many rucksacks containing suspicious objects. The officers requested a search on them, however, the group of suspects reportedly fled via the boats and left the rucksacks behind.
Upon further investigation, it was reported that more than 33 rucksacks were found containing 6.6 million amphetamine pills in total. The officers then seized the property in dispute to further investigate the suspects involved in drug smuggling. Nobody was arrested for the incident, according to the Pha Mueang officers.
Furthermore, on the same day, Pha Mueang officers seized 6.4 million amphetamine pills on the Thai-Myanmar border road in Wiang Haeng District, Chiang Mai. It was reported that an unidentified suspect in a vehicle reportedly left 32 rucksacks of drugs on the roadside as there was a police checkpoint ahead.
In summary, Pha Mueang officers seized more than 13 million pills of amphetamine on the same day in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
According to Pha Mueang officers, in 2024, more than 258 suspects were captured in 242 cases, and 29 individuals were extrajudicially killed during 28 separate confrontations. In six months and four days, 87 million pills of amphetamine, 231 kilograms of heroin, and 120 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized with an estimated value of 14.6 billion baht.
