Two million methamphetamine pills were found in sacks on a pickup truck after a head-on crash killed the driver and both passengers in Muang district of Mukdahan in the early hours of Wednesday.
The driver of the second vehicle involved was seriously injured.
The fatal crash occurred near the entrance of a road leading to Wat Srisawang at Ban Laolom in tambon Na Seenuan, said Pol Lt Col Kittiwat Khonharn, investigation chief at Muang police station.
The crash was reported at 3.08am, according to the Ruamjai Mukdahan Rescue Association.
Police and rescue workers sent to the scene reported finding three men dead inside an extensively damaged white Isuzu pickup truck with Mukdahan licence plates stopped on the road. They were identified as driver Ratthanon Wongseela, 34, Detnarong Khotrodkhueng, 37, and Anuwat Khotrodkhueng, 28.
There were 10 fertiliser sacks on the pickup, which were found to contain 2.1 million meth pills.
A badly damaged white Toyota pickup, also with Mukdahan plates, was halted nearby. The woman driver had serious injuries. She was identified as Natthanicha Thanomchart, 23. She was rushed to Mukdahan Hospital.
Police said the pickup with three men on board was heading to downtown Muang district. It collided head-on with the other pickup truck, coming from the opposite direction.
Police were extending the crash investigation to include drug trafficking.
Sacks of speed pills found in one of the crashed vehicles. (Photo: Mukdahan News Facebook page)