NAKHON PHANOM: A security patrol team seized almost 500kg of compressed marijuana abandoned by a smuggling gang on the bank of the Mekong River in That Phanom district on Tuesday night.
The team, comprising soldiers, border patrol police and officials, spotted four or five men unloading sacks from a boat at Ban Saimoon village in tambon Nam Kam late on Tuesday night. The officers signalled the men to halt, but they jumped back into the boat and fled.
Twelve sacks were left on the shore and were found to contain 480 bars of compressed marijuana -- each weighing 1 kg, or 480kg in total. The seized drugs were worth almost 10 million baht, officials said.
That Phanom district chief Chaiwat Chaiyawetpisit, Lt Likhit Kongkaew, head of a military task force team, and senior officials announced the seizure of the illicit drugs at a media briefing at That Phanom district office on Wednesday.
Since the beginning of the year, almost five tonnes of compressed marijuana have been seized in this northeastern province, officials said. Marijuana is sold for 5,000 baht per kilo in border areas, and up to 20,000 baht a kilo elsewhere.
Authorities said they have increased patrols in border areas to stem the flow of illicit drugs, particularly during the lead-up to the coronation ceremony, as smugglers would seize this opportunity to smuggle drugs into the country.