28-9-2023 (BANGKOK) Thai police have seized over 15 million methamphetamine pills and various other illegal substances valued at 300 million baht ($8.15 million). Authorities have described this operation, which unfolded in Nakhon Pathom province, just north of the capital city of Bangkok, as one of the largest drug hauls of the year.
Four individuals have been apprehended in connection with the bust, during which law enforcement seized a staggering 420 kilograms (926 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine and heroin.
Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong remarked, “This is one of the largest drug storage facilities in the heart of Thailand, located within a residential community.”
The incoming police chief, Police General Torsak Sukvimol, revealed that the total street value of the confiscated drugs is estimated at 300 million baht. He further stated that these narcotics were produced in a neighboring country.
According to a United Nations report earlier this year, the trafficking of synthetic drugs in East and Southeast Asia has been on the rise. The report highlights the continued high production of methamphetamine in the Golden Triangle region, where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos converge.
The Golden Triangle area has a longstanding history of illicit drug production and has recently emerged as a major production hub for amphetamine-type stimulants, particularly methamphetamine. These drugs are favored by Asian crime syndicates with distribution networks that extend as far as Japan and New Zealand.
