Police arrested 12 suspects and seized 650 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine after stopping a convoy of three trucks for a search in Saraburi province on Sunday.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner, said on Monday the action followed a tip-off that a large quantity of drugs would be delivered from the Northeast to Bangkok during the May 4-7 long holiday by a convoy of three vehicles.
Three trucks travelling together were stopped and searched at kilometre marker 3.5 on the Mittraphap highway in tambon Talingchan of Muang district, Saraburi province, on Sunday.
The searchers found 650kg of crystal meth on the middle truck.
Twelve suspects travelling with the convoy were detained and a gun and ammunition found in their possession were seized.
Police said the chief suspect was a man named Anurak, alias Taek, aged 33 years. The other suspects said he was hired by a member of a drug gang known as “Baka” and was being paid 350,000 baht to transport the crystal meth from the Northeast to an agent in Bangkok.
They said Anurak paid them 20,000 baht each. They said they had done this three times before.
The suspects were held on initial charges of having a category 1 drug in their possession with intent to sell, illegal possession of a gun and ammunition and carrying the weapon in public.