CHIANG RAI: Two suspected drug couriers have been arrested with more than 2.6 million speed pills and 1kg of ketamine at a road checkpoint in Mae Lao district.
Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 5, on Friday announced the arrest of the two suspects and the seizure of 2.7 million speed pills and 1kg of ketamine.
The suspects were Alongkorn Suktaeng, 53, and Ms Kamolthorn Suktaeng, 51, both from Nakhon Pathom.
Police had stopped a modified refrigerated pickup truck with Bangkok licence plates at Pa Tueng checkpoint in Mae Lao district at around 9pm on Wednesday for a search.
Twenty-five fertiliser sacks containing the illicit drugs were found in the vehicle, driven by Mr Alongkorn. Ms Kamolthorn was accompanying him.
The pair were charged with colluding in possessing illicit Type 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) and Type 2 drugs (ketamine) with intent to sell.
The arrest came after investigators from Provincial Police Region 5 tracked down the suspected refrigerated pickup truck from Mae Sai district in this northern province after being tipped off about the smuggling. As the vehicle was heading to downtown Muang district, the investigation team asked police at Pa Tueng checkpoint to stop the vehicle.
According to the Provincial Police Region 5 chief, the driver admitted he had been hired for 120,000 baht by a man identified only as Num to pick up the drugs in tambon Huai Khrai in Mae Sai and another spot in tambon Mae Yao in Muang district of Chiang Mai. He was instructed to deliver them to an agent in the central province of Nakhon Pathom.
The arresting team would extend the investigation to cover others who were involved.
Since Oct 1 this year, police have arrested 30 drug suspects and seized assets worth over 100 million baht from them and their drug networks, said Pol Lt Gen Piya.