Customs authorities have seized 314 kilogrammes of heroin worth 943 million baht, hidden in 135 paint buckets which were waiting to be delivered to Australia through Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri, Deputy Finance Minister Santi Promphat said yesterday.
Mr Santi, who oversees the Customs Department, said at a press conference yesterday that the haul was found on Monday, after authorities decided to X-ray a shipping container they deemed suspicious.
"Thai authorities are ready to take legal action against those who are involved with this drug shipment, and any other trafficking networks," he said.
Patchara Anuntasilpa, director-general of the Customs Department, said he was told that his officers found paint buckets in the container, 135 of which had a plastic box with heroin weighing 2.4kg each inside. "I will coordinate with other agencies to investigate this drug network,'' he said.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) secretary-general, Wichai Chaimongkol, said yesterday that authorities have seized 1.8 tonnes of heroin this year.
Mr Wichai said based on their preliminary investigation, this heroin shipment was linked to a previous trafficking attempt, in which the drugs were stuffed in motorcycle tyres bound for Taiwan and Australia.
The sender has been arrested, but told police he was hired by another person, who is on the run in Laos.