Highway police seized over 13 million methamphetamine pills and arrested two individuals in Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district on Monday. The operation occurred at a checkpoint on Phetkasem Road, where officers stopped a 22-wheel truck with a Songkhla license plate at kilometre marker 378.
During the search, authorities discovered the drugs concealed in plastic baskets, hidden under a canvas tarpaulin in the truck’s cargo area. The suspects, identified as Amorn Thongchuchuay, 51, and Weerapong Kongkaew, 39, were taken into custody. They admitted to having collected the drugs from Nonthaburi’s Sai Noi district and were en route to deliver them to Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Thung Song district, where the pills were intended to be smuggled out of the country.
Police revealed that the suspects were paid 200,000 baht for this second drug transport job. The seized methamphetamine, valued at approximately one billion baht, underscores the large scale of the drug trade. According to Pol Maj Gen Kongkrit Lertsitthikun, commander of the Highway Police Division, traffickers exploited the fact that many police officers were focused on flood relief efforts in northern Thailand. He added that investigations into the larger drug network remain ongoing.
Between October 2023 and August 2024, highway police have arrested 1,569 individuals in drug-related cases, confiscating nearly 100 million methamphetamine pills, along with substantial quantities of other narcotics.
This incident highlights both the effectiveness of highway checkpoints in disrupting drug trafficking operations and the challenge of keeping up with traffickers who continue to adapt their methods. While law enforcement efforts are making significant strides, the continued flow of drugs points to the need for ongoing vigilance and enhanced resources in the fight against narcotics.
