Chiang Rai: Chiang Rai police found clues about a drug trafficking gang that was about to transport ice into the capital, arresting two people and seizing more than 1,000 kilograms of ice. Pol. Lt. Gen. Kritthapol Yisakorn, Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, Pol. Maj. Gen. Manop Senakul, Commander of Chiang Rai Provincial Police, the provincial administration, Narcotics Suppression Bureau officers, the Chao Tak Army Special Task Force, Pha Muang Task Force, and relevant agencies jointly held a press conference to intercept two drug trafficking gangs of crystal methamphetamine and ketamine.
According to Thai News Agency, in the first case, officers from the Chiang Rai Provincial Police Investigation Division seized 578 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a multi-purpose vehicle near the Chiang Rai Government Center on the night of May 13 at approximately 11:40 p.m. before the drug gang drove away. The vehicle was found the following day, having skidded off the road and fallen into a public waterway at Ban Farm, Rim Kok Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai District. Inside the vehicle were mobile phones and documents which were sent to investigators.
In the second case, on May 17 at approximately 9:00 p.m., officers from the Investigation Division of Chiang Rai Provincial Police followed a drug trafficking operation from Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province, and found 529 kilograms of ketamine in four cars that attempted to avoid a checkpoint in Phan District before being able to intercept two of the cars with two suspects in tow. Another car fell off the side of the road and the driver escaped.
Later on May 18th at approximately 02.00, another 2 guide cars were arrested along with 3 suspects in the Mae Tam Subdistrict, Mueang Phayao District. The remaining suspect was found hiding in a hut in a longan orchard in Phan District, Chiang Rai Province. All of them were arrested along with the evidence and sent for legal proceedings.
The six suspects confessed that they were hired by a Myanmar broker to transport drugs from Chiang Saen District to the interior of the country. They had done this three times and were paid 1,000,000 baht each time.
The Commander of Provincial Police Region 5 said that drug suppression is an integrated operation of all sectors. Last year, drug arrests increased by 50 times. In the past 3-6 months, drug trafficking groups have changed their transportation routes because they have been frequently arrested. They have therefore used the eastern and western routes. However, it is expected that they will soon return to using the northern route because other routes are more stringent. They will strengthen their forces by adding 2 more X-ray vehicles, in addition to the ones in Phrae and Lampang provinces. They will be stationed in Chiang Rai province to make drug suppression more effective.