CHUMPHON - Six people were arrested after the seizure of 496,000 methamphetamine pills from an abandoned vehicle in Pathiu district on Monday, police said.
Pol Lt Gen Thesa Siriwatho, the Provincial Police Region 8 commissioner, said police and soldiers manning the checkpoint at Pala village in tambon Khao Chairat stopped a Honda car with two men on board for a search.
While they were checking the driver's licence, the car sped off into an oil palm plantation.
The police gave chase and found the abandoned car, which contained 248 packages holding 496,000 methamphetamine pills in total.
The search was expanded and the two men in the car were later caught. They were identified as Pethai Raknim, 33, the driver, and Nathapong Roenthaisong, 31. The police later arrested three men and a woman who arrived in another car to pick up the first two men. They were Borisut Saengthong, 25, Sathorn Buakaeo, 49, Panupong Jaranpong, 31, and Siriporn Jaranpong, 25.
Mr Panupong was the alleged leader, said Pol Lt Gen Thesa.
Mr Panupong allegedly confessed he and his gang had been hired by a drug dealer in Chiang Rai to deliver the meth pills to Phatthalung for 500,000 baht.
He claimed that another member of his gang, whom he identified as "A", had been held by the dealer as a guarantee of delivery. The hostage was to be freed after the drug delivery was completed and payment made, he said.
Mr Panupong said he and "A" were both released from prison seven months ago after serving a sentence for murder.