Two drug couriers arrested with 2.7 million meth pills at checkpoint

Two suspected drug couriers were arrested with 2.7 million meth pills at a checkpoint in northeast Thailand.

The pair were allegedly moving contraband to Nakhon Ratchasima when police spotted their pickup truck carrying a suspiciously heavy load.

Officers stopped the vehicle for an inspection at around 6:30 pm on September 2.

They peeled back the tarpaulin cover and discovered methamphetamine pills concealed in plastic bags wrapped with adhesive tape.

The haul was estimated to be worth around 8.1 million baht.

The driver, Kosin Buayai, 44, and his passenger Somthawin Chomthee, 48, were arrested.

Both allegedly confessed that they were hired to deliver the drugs from Udon Thani, making several similar deliveries in the past.

Police Major General Narongsak Promtha, commander of Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police, arrived at the scene to inspect the seized contraband.

He said: 'Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police have continuously intensified the crackdown on narcotics, firearms and illegal items, which led to the arrest of the suspects along with this massive haul of methamphetamine pills.

‘The suspects confessed to being hired to transport the 2.7 million methamphetamine pills from Udon Thani to deliver them in Nakhon Ratchasima.

‘Accomplices in the network would receive the drugs before distributing them further to narcotics dealer networks.

‘We are currently expanding the investigation to locate all involved individuals.

‘We will accelerate the expanded investigation to track down and arrest accomplices and the masterminds for prosecution.'

Thailand has become a notorious hub for drug use, production, and trafficking. In the north of the country, the ‘Golden Triangle' area shares borders with Laos and Myanmar, and has produced large amounts of opium since the 1950s but focus in recent years has shifted to the more profitable methamphetamine.

Officials believe most of the meth is produced in the Shan State of Myanmar before being distributed through neighbouring countries where prices are higher before ending up in the most expensive markets of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

However, cracking down on drug production has been complicated by the influx of crime gangs from China and the Burmese civil war, which has seen the army take over the country - along with control of lucrative drugs chains.