CHIANG MAI: A total of 2.5 million methamphetamine pills and 700 kilogrammes of crystal meth, or ice, have been seized by police in three drug cases in Lampang, Chiang Mai and Phrae provinces.
The cases were under the jurisdiction of Provincial Police Region 5.
Eighteen suspects were arrested and eight vehicles impounded in the cases, said national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas yesterday.
In Lampang, police stopped two pickups loaded with fresh corn at a drug checkpoint in Mae Phrik district.
An X-ray revealed 350kg of crystal meth hidden in each vehicle. Six suspects were arrested. The drugs were loaded in Wiang Haeng district in Chiang Mai and were destined for Nakhon Si Thammarat.
In Chiang Mai, police also searched a car and found 440,000 meth pills at the Pha Hong drug checkpoint in Chai Prakan district.
Two suspects were arrested. Information from them led to the arrest of two others and the further seizure of 560,000 meth pills, after which another suspect with 500,000 meth pills was nabbed.
A total of five suspects were arrested, 1.5 million meth pills seized and three cars and a motorcycle impounded in the three actions.
Meanwhile, in Phrae, a truck loaded with paddy rice was stopped by police at Nang Fa drug checkpoint in Song district. Police found a million meth pills hidden among the rice. Seven suspects were arrested for involvement in this case, and two vehicles were impounded for examination.
The police chief did not give the dates of these seizures or arrests.