Northern Thailand
Meth Pills Seized Following Shootout With Drug Runners in Chiang Mai
After a brief exchange of shots, the men retreated into the forest, abandoning their backpacks as they fled. The backpacks contain 1.1 million meth pills.
CHIANG MAI – Authorities have seized one million meth pills following a shootout between soldiers and drug runners. Security forces and a drug caravan clashed in a forest area in Chiang Dao district early on Tuesday.
A patrol spotted about 10 men, traveling in a forest area in Chiang Dao district of Chiang Mai province.
When signaled to stop for a search they instead opened fire on the security patrol, Thai media reported.
After a brief exchange of shots, the men retreated into the forest, abandoning their backpacks as they fled. The backpacks contain 1.1 million meth pills.
Maj Gen Bannawat Prommachan, said the team was deployed in response to information a shipment of drugs would smuggled from a factory in Myanmar.
Myanmar is fast becoming the world’s biggest producer of meth and synthetic drugs. Making the industry the most lucrative business in Southeast Asia. A trade the United Nations says is worth tens of billions of dollars a year.
