CHIANG MAI – The Secretary-General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) announced the results of the police’s fifth “Cut Off the Source” operation, targeting overseas drug manufacturing networks.
The campaign involves strong legal action against traffickers and couriers along the border areas and into inland provinces. Authorities seized 3.5 million methamphetamine pills, 60 kilograms of crystal meth, and assets worth more than 27 million baht.
On 26 August 2025, at the ONCB Region 5 office in Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province, Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon, Secretary-General of the Narcotics Control Board, joined with representatives from relevant agencies to share progress from the “Cut Off the Source 5” operation.
This action is part of the government’s policy to tackle drug issues. A joint task force has pressed charges against key drug networks in the upper northern border region, which connect to manufacturing sites outside the country.
Recent efforts led to the arrest of traffickers on 24 August, leading to the seizure of 3.5 million meth pills and 60 kilograms of crystal meth hidden among a lorry carrying farming goods in Chiang Rai.
Police then traced and seized 45 items linked to the network, including land deeds, vehicles, cash, and gold jewellery, with a combined value of 27 million baht.
The ONCB Secretary-General revealed that this network is run by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ja Ka, based in Ban Pu Na Kai, Shan State, Myanmar, opposite Mae Fa Luang District in Chiang Rai.
Traffickers used motorcycles to ferry drugs from the border through Fang, Chiang Dao, and Mae Ai districts in Chiang Mai, before moving shipments further inland.
The “Cut Off the Source” operation aims to eliminate major drug rings moving across the upper northern border, chasing down high-level operators inside and outside Thailand. The operation supports the Thailand Zero Drugs campaign.
Since 31 August 2024, officials have seized and frozen the assets of networks linked to Colonel Ja Lor Bo and Mr. Weera Meunjada, who are still on the run in a neighbouring country. Total seized assets exceed 289.1 million baht.
The Secretary-General also said that officials will soon meet with representatives from China, Myanmar, and Laos to discuss anti-narcotics cooperation. Thailand will request the extradition of wanted drug traffickers for trial here.
Authorities have identified about 200 traffickers hiding in Laos and around 40 more in Myanmar. Thailand plans to ask China to help pressure the Wa group members to send these individuals back for prosecution.
Elsewhere, a team of highway police in Phitsanulok spotted suspicious behaviour and coordinated with anti-narcotics officers to stop a wanted pickup truck displaying Rayong plates. Inside were four people from Chonburi, two men and two women. Their stories did not add up.
When officers searched the truck, they found nothing illegal at first. A closer look revealed the spare tyre felt heavy and smelled odd. Police then cut it open and found 138 plastic-wrapped blocks (each holding 2,000 pills), totalling 276,000 meth tablets.
The four arrested were driver Mr. Atthisit (48), Mr. Premsak (39), Ms. Woraporn (34), and Ms. Nisa Khumthong (27), all from Chonburi.
They confessed to accepting a 50,000 baht job from an unnamed contact to pick up the drugs from a hotel in Wiang Pa Pao, Chiang Rai, and transport them to Chonburi. Officers have now charged all four and will continue to investigate the wider drug ring.
