NAKHON PHANOM - Police shot and wounded a drug courier who tried to speed away from a checkpoint, reports said on Wednesday.
Police announced the arrest of Pornsak Kueaksuwan and Chompol Panpai and the seizure of 305kg of marijuana, worth about six million baht.
Police said they set up a checkpoint in Banpheang district of Nakhon Pathom province after receiving a report that a local trafficker was planning to smuggle marijuana out of the province.
The two suspects arrived at the checkpoint in their vehicle and police indicated they should stop for a check, but instead the pickup began to speed away.
Police then fired at the truck and stopped them before they could get away.
The driver, Mr Chumpol, was hit by a bullet and was later sent to hospital for medical treatment.
According to the police, the suspects admitted that they have been hired to deliver drugs to Bangkok.
They said it was their third trip. They were paid about 60,000 baht each time. On the two previous trips they had a “lookout” car that informed them of any checkpoints on the road ahead and had been able to avoid capture.