Army rangers successfully recovered roughly 7.9 million meth pills from a trafficking ring on the Mekong River in the Chiang Saen district of Chiang Rai province, in far northern Thailand.
On April 4, 2024, Pha Mueang Army Maj. Gen. Praphat Phopsuwan, Commander of the Pha Mueang task force, stated that soldiers intercepted the drug trafficking gang as they transported meth into the country via the Mekong River near Chiang Saen.
Soldiers recovered 33 bags of amphetamine pills, totaling 7,920,000 tablets; the culprit escaped under the cover of darkness.
Acting on a tip, officials were notified that drugs were being trafficked into Thailand from Myanmar, prompting the deployment of an army patrol team to monitor the Mekong River near the Golden Triangle.
Northern Thailand is being inundated with cheap amphetamine tablets, or ‘yaba’, with some selling for as little as 10 baht apiece.
Drug trafficking has been a major issue in the Mekong River region, notably in the Golden Triangle, which is where the Thai, Lao, and Myanmar borders meet.
Because it is located at the crossroads of Chiang Rai, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, this area is well-known for being a major hub for drug production and trafficking, producing a significant amount of the world’s methamphetamine.
Criminal organizations use the region’s remote location and permeable borders to transfer drugs across the river and into neighboring countries, such as Thailand, for further trafficking and transit.
The area’s think-canopy and dense rainforests form a virtually impassable barrier to effective enforcement and monitoring, with many drug ‘gangs’ establishing mobile meth labs that can be readily moved if challenged by surveillance.
To combat drug trafficking in the region and Chiang Rai, authorities have increased efforts to monitor and police the Mekong River.
The Royal Thai Navy’s Mekong River patrol team is one of several institutions assigned with this role, and it has previously intercepted narcotics shipments.
However, drug trafficking is a persistent issue, and criminal organizations continue to devise novel ways to bring drugs into the region.
Bikers Busted With 1.9 Million Meth Pills at Chiang Rai Resort
Bikers Busted With 1.9 Million Meth Pills at Chiang Rai Resort
