LAMPANG, March 7 (TNA) – Thai police in the northern region have dismantled two major drug trafficking operations, seizing over 7 million methamphetamine pills in separate busts in Lampang and Phrae provinces, authorities said on Friday.
In the first operation, police in Lampang intercepted a large drug shipment concealed in a truck at a checkpoint where officers discovered 6 million methamphetamine pills.
The driver confessed to transporting the drugs from Lamphun province to Ang Thong province, central Thailand. He told police he was paid 100,000 baht ($2,700) per trip, with a promise of a free truck if he completed 12 deliveries. He admitted to having made three previous trips.
In a separate incident in Phrae province, police used an X-ray scanner to inspect a six-wheeled truck carrying air compressors and car gear parts. The truck driver had been hired to transport the goods from Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, to Phatthalung province in the south.
Hidden items detected by the scanner led to the discovery of nearly 1 million methamphetamine pills within the cargo.
Police said the drugs in both cases originated from the network of a leader of an armed group operating in a neighboring country. – 819 (TNA)