Two huge drug hauls made in Mae Hong Son

Seizures on Thursday and Friday totalled 8.2 million speed pills and 135kg of crystal meth

Two huge drug hauls made in Mae Hong Son
Soldiers inspect some of the 7 million speed pills and 100kg of crystal methamphetamine seized in a forested area of Pai district of Mae Hong Son on Thursday. On Friday night, a patrol seized another 1.2 million speed pills and 35kg of crystal meth in a nearby area of the same district. (Photo: Naresuan Task Force)

About 1.2 million speed pills and 35 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine have been found hidden in a forested area along the Thai-Myanmar border in Pai district of Mae Hong Son following an earlier seizure of an even bigger drug haul nearby.

Local officials, border patrol and local police were dispatched to border areas in tambon Wiang Nua of Pai on Friday night following intelligence reports that a drug gang was preparing to smuggle drugs via natural crossing in Pai Song-ngae village for transport to Wiang Haeng district of Chiang Mai, said Anek Panthayom, the Pai district chief.

The joint patrol found six fertiliser sacks containing 1.2 million speed pills and two more sacks containing 35kg of crystal methamphetamine. The drugs were handed over to the Pai police station.

On Thursday, troops from the Singhanat military unit of the Naresuan Task Force seized 7 million speed pills and 100kg of crystal meth in a forested area of tambon Wiang Nua in Pai. The drugs were contained in 37 sacks.

Mae Hong Son governor Chettha Mokikharat said on Saturday that he had instructed local officials to increase patrols in all districts of the northern province to crack down on illicit drugs and other illegal goods.

A sack containing illicit drugs is covered with banana leaves in a forested area of Pai district of Mae Hong Son, where troops seized 7 million speed pills and 100kg of crystal meth on Thursday. (Photo: Naresuan Task Force)