Soldiers from the Pha Muang Task Force deployed to patrol the Thai-Myanmar border seized more than 170kg of crystal Methamphetamine in Tambon Wiang Pang Kham, Amphoe Mae Sai, Chiang Rai Province.

Maj. Gen. Kittakorn Chantra, Commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, told a press briefing that on 7 November, at approximately 04.00 a.m., when the task force was patrolling Tambon Wiang Pang Kham, they came across a group of men carrying backpacks through the forest.

They ordered the group of men to stop, but instead, they opened fire with automatic weapons to escape back across the border into Myanmar.

When the gunfire stopped, all officers were safe, and reinforcements were called in to secure the area. When daylight broke, the soldiers surveyed the firefight area and found 11 camouflage and green backpacks.

Soldiers Crystal Meth Chiang Rai — 172 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine

Inside were red packages disguising ice in tea bag bags, weighing 1 kilogram each, containing a total of approximately 172 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. One mobile phone was also found by the soldiers seized as evidence and sent to Mae Sai Police Station with the drugs for further legal investigation.

Maj. Gen. Kittakorn reported that since October, the Pha Muang soldiers have intercepted drugs along the border 51 times, arrested 69 suspects, seized 577 kilograms of ice, 12,952,062 methamphetamine pills, and 140 kilograms of heroin. In addition, officers have clashed with drug trafficking networks 5 times.

Maj. Gen. Kittakorn said the border areas of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai still have the most drug seizures in Thailand.