Drug Convoy Thwarted in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai, 7.4 Million Speed Pills and 200kg of Crystal Meth Seized

CHIANG RAI – A combined force of police and soldiers have arrested 2 drug smugglers along a border area in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai, with 7.4 million speed pills and 200kg of crystal methamphetamine.

Pol Lt Gen Poonsap Prasertsak, commander of Provincial Police Region 5, said the seized drugs were believed to have belonged to the same gang that tried smuggling 11.9 million speed pills earlier in May.

The men were crossing the road when the officers signaled them for a search. Upon seeing the officers, many abandoned their sacks and fled to a nearby forest in the darkness, officers were able to capture 2 of the men.

The pair were identified as Wirat Sae Lee, 23, and Thongchai Vetchamnarn, 27, both from Wiang Kaen district. They were held in police custody at Waeng Kaen police station for legal action.

The production cost of speed pills is 10 baht each while the cost of crystal meth was about 500,000 baht a kilogramme, or 174 million baht, said Pol Lt Gen Poonsap.

The drugs, if smuggled into the Central Plains or Bangkok, could fetch up to 1.74 billion baht, he added.

By Geoff Thomas

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Large quantities of speed pills and crystal methamphetamine seized along a border area in Wiang Kaen district, Chiang Rai. – Photo’s localnews2010.com