Thai army kills 5 suspected drug smugglers near ‘Golden Triangle’ | Drugs News

Almost 500,000 methamphetamine pills were found after a clash between Thai forces and suspected smugglers in Thailand’s north.

The Thai military has killed five suspected drug traffickers and recovered almost 500,000 methamphetamine pills following a clash in the north of Thailand near the infamous “Golden Triangle” region.

A military patrol encountered suspected smugglers carrying backpacks in the early hours of Thursday in Chiang Rai province near the Golden Triangle – the region where the jungle borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet and has long been a lucrative hub for the illegal drug trade.

Refusing to be searched, the group of five opened fire and an armed clash ensued that lasted about five minutes, the Thai military’s Pha Muang Task Force said in a statement on Friday.

The five suspects were killed and no Thai soldiers were injured, the task force said, noting…