Three people have been arrested in two operations in Chiang Rai, resulting in 235kg of crystal methamphetamine and a million pill versions of the drug being confiscated.
Janya Klathon, 38, from Ubon Ratchathani, was nabbed on Thursday at 7.40am after 112kg of crystal meth was discovered in his Toyota pickup at Pa Tueng checkpoint, said Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, during a press briefing yesterday.
The arrest was conducted by a joint team of the Provincial Police Region 5 Investigation Division, the Investigation Sub-division of Chiang Rai Provincial Police and Mae Lao Police. An expanded investigation led to Mr Janya's house in tambon Rimkok of Muang district where police confiscated a further 123kg of crystal meth.
Police assume the crystal meth was to be sent to other countries where it would be sold for billions of baht, Pol Lt Gen Piya said. The suspect faces a drug-related charge of possessing Type 1 narcotics with intent to distribute. The suspect and all seized items were later taken to Mae Lao and Muang Police for legal processing.
Police are expanding their investigation to track down a drug network they believe the suspect is a part of, which is made up of members who used to be incarcerated at Khao Bin Central Prison, he added.
In a separate development, two men were arrested and one million meth pills seized following a police pursuit in Muang district of Chiang Rai on Thursday night.
A team of narcotics suppression police and soldiers flagged down a Toyota pickup on old Phahon Yothin Road in Muang district at about 9pm. Instead of stopping and being searched, the driver accelerated away. Police gave chase.
The fleeing vehicle was stopped near Mae Korn intersection in Muang district, Col Sudkhet Srinilthin, commander of the Pha Muang task force of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, told reporters. A search revealed the pills in the pickup.
The driver, Siwakorn Sirirungwilai, 30, and an 18-year-old man, both from tambon Huai Chompu in Muang district of Chiang Rai, were arrested. The pair were handed over to Muang police station for legal action. Further investigations are underway to find other people involved.