CHIANG MAI: Soldiers have seized 6 million methamphetamine pills left by smugglers following a brief gunfight in Chiang Dao district of this northern province.
Soldiers from the Chaiyanuparb special task force and 2nd Cavalry Company were patrolling routes around Pa Bong Ngarm village in tambon Muang Na on Saturday afternoon when they spotted a group of 15-20 suspected drug couriers carrying modified rucksacks.
The patrol team signalled the men to stop for a search but were met with gunfire. The two sides exchanged gunshots for about 10 minutes before the suspects fled the scene. No soldiers were injured, said Col Weerachai Pongkaew, commander of the Chaiyanuparb special task force.
A subsequent search found 30 rucksacks hidden at various spots within a 300 metre radius of the clash site, about 20km from the Thai-Myanmar border. Each backpack contained 200,000 meth pills.
Col Weerachai said the task force had been tipped off that smugglers would use a route near Pa Bong Ngarm village to deliver the drug to other provinces. The pick-up point was believed to be on a public road about a 3km walk from where the clash took place.
The task force would expand inspection and patrol areas, Col Weerachai added, because intelligence reports showed drug traffickers are continuing their movements despite the onset of the rainy season, leading to multiple clashes recently.