SONGKHLA: Authorities seized 71 fertiliser sacks containing more than two tonnes of kratom leaves abandoned by four men on motorcycles along the Thai-Malaysian border in Sadao district early Saturday.
Soldiers patrolling near the border at Talor village in tambon Bang Besar spotted four men travelling on motorcycles with large sacks. The troops signalled them to pull over but they fled in darkness, leaving the sacks and three motorcycles at the scene.
The patrol inspected the 71 sacks and found each contained 30 kilogrammes of kratom leaves, or 2,130kg in total. Customs officials subsequently conducted a closer inspection of the haul.
The seized kratom leaves were worth over one million baht, officers during a media briefing. They believed the sellers planned to gradually deliver the leaves to customers during the upcoming New Year festival. They believe the leaves were to be used for mixing with cough syrup to make a drug cocktail popularly known as 4x100.
Kratom was removed from the country’s narcotics list in August and people can now grow, possess, consume and sell the leaves. However, when they are mixed with other drugs to make a narcotic tea or cocktail, their use is still illegal.
While the plant has been reclassified as a legal herb, people must still seek regulatory approval to process kratom products for drinks and food products.
After legalisation became official in August, thousands of charges of possession or sale of kratom were dropped, and 121 inmates convicted in such cases released.
Soldiers inspect sacks abandoned by four men near the border with Malaysia in Songkhla. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)
Seized kratom leaves, weighing more than 2 tonnes, are displayed during a briefing in Songkhla. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)