Chiang Rai Border Patrol Officer Injured After His Vehicle Struck By Fleeing Drug Runner

CHIANG RAI – A man was arrested and about 2 million methamphetamine pills seized from his pickup truck following a chase in Mae Sai district late Friday. One police officer was injured after the pickup hit a chase vehicle.

The incident began when officers from the 327th Border Patrol Company manning a checkpoint on the Ban Mai Pattana-Ban San Khong rad in Sri Muang Chum, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai signaled a pickup from Chiang Mai license to stop for a search at about 11pm on Friday.

The driver refused the officers call to stop driver and sped off, with the officers in pursuit. After traveling for approximately 3 kilometers, the driver lost control of his vehicle at a curve, struck a police vehicle and plunged into a roadside ditch, Thai media reported.

Pol Capt Suthichai Chuejedton, deputy commander of the 327th Border Patrol Company, was injured and taken to hospital.

The driver, later identified as Yutthachai Narapinitkul, 43, of Pang Ma Pha district in Mae Hong Son was taken into custody. He is being held pending further legal action.

A search found 20 sacks, each containing 100,000 meth pills, or 2 million in total, in the back of the pickup truck.

Photo’s by Thai Police 4.0