CHIANG RAI: A suspected drug courier was shot dead and two others arrested with 8 million speed pills seized following a clash with police in Mae Chan district in the early hours of Saturday.
Teams of narcotics suppression police were despatched to keep watch along possible smuggling routes near borders in Mae Fa Luang and Mae Chang districts at around 1am. They acted on a tip-off that large quantities of illicit drugs would be smuggled from the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Fa Luang district to inner areas of the country, Thai media reported on Saturday.
Officers later spotted three suspected pickup trucks -- two carrying Chiang Rai licence plates and the other with Bangkok licence plates -- travelling down from a mountainous route along the border heading to Phahon Yothin Road in tambon Pasang of Mae Chan district.
The officers signalled them to stop for a search, but a man in one of the three pickups allegedly opened fire. This prompted the police to return fire.
After the gunfire stopped, the officers found one man, identified later as Boonsong Wusuekoo, 27, of Muang district in Chiang Rai, was shot dead. A .357 pistol was found near his body. The drivers of the other two vehicles surrendered.
The police searched the three pickup trucks and found many sacks in the back of the two vehicles with the Chiang Rai licence plates. The sacks, covered with tarpaulins, contained 8 million speed pills.
All suspects were charged with illegal possession of illicit drugs.