Large quantities of drugs were seized and four suspects arrested in two actions in Chiang Rai province during April, Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai, the Provincial Police Region 5 commissioner, said on Wednesday.
He said a total of 600,000 methamphetamine pills, 239 kilogrammes of crystal meth and 10kg of ketamine were seized.
On April 24, two pickup trucks were stopped and searched at a checkpoint near Moo 1 village in tambon Doi Lan, Muang district. Found in the two vehicles were 239kg of crystal meth, or ice, and 10kg of ketamine. Three suspects were arrested.
On April 25, a pickup was stopped at Pukaeng checkpoint in tambon Mae Yen, Phan district. Police found 600,000 meth pills during a search. One suspect was detained.
From Oct 1, 2022 to May 2, 2023, Region 5 police seized 71 million meth pills, 1,711kg of crystal meth, 432kg of ketamine and 31kg of heroin in 17,035 cases, he said.
Assets worth about 415 million baht, suspected of being acquired in the drug trade, were seized for examination.