PHRAE – Police at the Huai Rai checkpoint stopped a nervous Chiang Mai man, then used an X-ray scan that revealed 6,498,000 meth pills and 25 kilograms of crystal meth hidden under sacks of rice bran.
On Sunday, Pol Lt Col Thatthep Chotidejochai, superintendent of Huai Rai Police Station, Den Chai district, Phrae, set up an anti-drug checkpoint team with Highway Police after an informant had warned that a drug convoy would pass the checkpoint.
At approximately 4 AM, police officers requested a search of a vehicle, and the driver shook and acted suspiciously. He identified himself as Mr Chanon (surname withheld), 41. He said he had been hired to transport goods to Phitsanulok, and that the deal was made over the phone.
He believed the cargo was rice bran from Wiang Pa Pao district, Chiang Rai, bound for Phitsanulok, with the final drop-off to be confirmed. He said he was paid 20,000 baht. The pickup bed was tightly covered with a tarpaulin.
Officers took the vehicle for an X-ray scan. The images showed items consistent with illicit drugs, concealed beneath sacks of rice bran. A search in Mr Chanon’s presence found crystal meth and meth pills.
The meth pills were packed in opaque silver plastic sachets, about 200 tablets per sachet. Ten sachets were bundled together, wrapped in white mulberry paper, then overwrapped in plastic stamped 999 with a five-point star.
One lot contained 329 bundles with 4 extra packs, spread across 29 sacks, totalling 3,298,000 tablets. A second lot contained 320 bundles in 29 sacks, totalling 3,200,000 tablets.
Officers also found Class 1 narcotics, crystal methamphetamine, white crystalline powder, packed in blue and gold tea bags, about 1 kilogram per pack, 25 packs in total, weighing 25 kilograms. In all, they seized 6,498,000 methamphetamine tablets and 25 kilograms of crystal meth.
Police also stopped a suspected lead vehicle, a white MG Sedan. Ms Sudaporn (surname withheld), 26, was driving, with Ms Mayuree (surname withheld) as passenger. Both denied any link to Mr Chanon.
However, officers found that Ms Sudaporn had been communicating on LINE with a Chinese-named account, the same account used by Mr Chanon for coordination. Officers believed the cars were linked as the lead vehicle and the transport vehicle.
Both women were detained for questioning. Ms Sudaporn admitted she had previously rented a car to act as a lead vehicle for drug transport, but denied any role this time, claiming the LINE calls were from her brother-in-law.
Ms Mayuree said she had been in Malaysia with her boyfriend and had just returned. She said Ms Sudaporn invited her to travel to Chiang Rai, and she knew nothing about the drug run.
Statements were recorded, and all three were handed over for legal proceedings. The initial charge alleges joint possession of Class 1 narcotics, meth pills and crystal meth for sale, an offence committed for commercial gain, causing distribution among the public, and affecting state security or public safety.
Later, Phrae governor Somchai Loetprasitphan and Pol Col Phongpeera Karaket, deputy commander of Phrae Provincial Police, visited the scene to review the operation and support the officers.
