Narcotics suppression officials seized 6.4 million methamphetamine pills, 300 kilogrammes of crystal meth and 200 kilogrammes of marijuana in seven cases this month that also netted 12 suspects, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB) said yesterday during a joint media briefing with the army.
In one case, drug suspect Jakha Jakor was shot dead in Chiang Mai on Nov 13 when 6 million speed pills were seized, along with a gun, a grenade, three mobile phones and a pickup truck, Pol Lt Gen Sarayut Sa-nguanphokhai, chief of the NSB said.
He said Jakha was killed after police learned that a drug network led by a Muser tribesman in tambon Ban Luang of Mae Ai district planned to smuggle drugs into Thailand through Mae Ai and Fang districts on Nov 13.
On that day, soldiers and narcotics suppression police manning a checkpoint in Mae Ai signalled a pickup truck to stop for a search, but the driver instead opened fire at them and attempted to flee, Pol Lt Gen Sarayut said.
In the ensuing exchange of gunfire the driver was shot dead, he said.
He said Jakha had a criminal record and was also wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Lampang provincial court for smuggling 400,000 meth pills in 2017.
Seven members of his network, his wife, son and friends, had been caught earlier.