Police in Mae Sai District of Chiang Rai Province report that 60 packages of Heroin, weighing a total of approximately 23 kilograms, were found hidden in a lychee orchard.

Pol. Col. Phontep Thanaboonsak, Superintendent of Koh Chang Police Station in Chiang Rai, told a press briefing that villagers notified the Village Headman of Ko Chang Subdistrict of Mae Sai about a suspicious black plastic bag in a lychee orchard.

Police and soldiers from the Pha Muang Task Force came to investigate. They found a plastic bag with another straw bag inside, hidden in the grass of the lychee orchard near the Sri Pa Daeng Village cemetery entrance, approximately 100 meters from the main road. Inside the plastic bag, officers found 60 packages of Heroin weighing a total of approximately 23 kilograms.

Pol. Col. Phontep Thanaboonsak told reporters no suspicious persons were found there.

The Heroin was seized as evidence and sent to the Mae Sai District Police Station for further investigation. It is believed the drug network hid the Heroin there, waiting to be picked up and transported into central Thailand.

Heroin trafficking in Chiang Rai has become a critical issue. This northern region of Thailand is a key point in drug routes from the Golden Triangle, where production and distribution thrive. The area’s mountainous terrain provides cover for traffickers, complicating law enforcement efforts. Authorities are ramping up patrols and using more advanced surveillance to combat smuggling.

Despite these efforts, the syndicates often remain one step ahead, adapting quickly to new challenges. The local population faces increased risks, from addiction to violence linked to the drug trade. Community awareness and international cooperation remain crucial in addressing this pressing problem.