Police in Chiang Rai have arrested two men and seized 500,000 methamphetamine pills in Mae Suai district. Three brothers, one of which eluded capture, were caught transporting a large quantity of drugs allegedly intended for the central region.
The operation unfolded after officers tracked their suspicious activities and intercepted one of their vehicles at a Highway 118 checkpoint. The investigation led to the discovery of half a million methamphetamine pills abandoned in a red sedan in a Longan orchard. The group’s leader is still on the run.
Anti-drug police in Chiang Rai, in collaboration with other agencies, had been monitoring the gang after receiving tips about plans to smuggle drugs along the Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai highway. Officers focused their efforts on inspecting vehicles at checkpoints along the route.
According to police, a suspicious white Ford pickup truck with Chiang Rai licence plates was spotted leading a red Honda sedan with Bangkok plates. Both vehicles were seen leaving the Ruam Mitr area in the Mae Yao district and heading toward Highway 118 through secondary roads in Den Ha and Dong Mada.
When the pickup truck reached the Tha Ko checkpoint in Mae Suai district, two men—a 22-year-old driver named Manop and a 25-year-old passenger named Surachai—were inside. Although no illegal items were found during the initial inspection, their nervous behaviour raised suspicions. Both men were visibly shaken and pale and repeatedly received phone calls while being questioned.
Meanwhile, the red sedan avoided the checkpoint by detouring along a side road. Police followed the vehicle to Nong Lom village in Chedi Luang sub-district, where the driver abruptly drove into a longan orchard, abandoned the car, and fled into the forest.
Upon inspecting the abandoned vehicle, officers discovered two large sacks in the trunk. Inside were 500,000 methamphetamine pills. The drugs were confiscated as evidence, and efforts to track down the escaped driver are ongoing.
Initial investigations revealed that the fugitive was Manop’s older brother, driving the red sedan. The three suspects had already successfully smuggled drugs to the central region twice before. Manop reportedly drove the lead vehicle, while Surachai acted as a lookout, warning the driver of the red sedan to avoid checkpoints.
The suspects, along with the seized drugs, were handed over to investigators. They face charges of possessing and distributing a Category 1 narcotic (methamphetamine) with the intent to sell, an act deemed harmful to public safety and national security.
Authorities are continuing their efforts to apprehend Manop’s older brother, who remains at large.
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