KOTA BARU: Thai authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle 1.8 million methamphetamine pills into Malaysia after arresting two men in a forest near Tak Bai district, close to the Pengkalan Kubor border.
The drugs, believed to have originated from Myanmar, are estimated to be worth around RM14 million.
Fourth Thai Army Region Commander Lieutenant General Naratip Phoyanok said the seizure took place on Nov 1 beside a house in Tambon Nanak near Tak Bai district.
“The operation was carried out after police received intelligence that the network was using a small forest in Tambon Nanak, Tak Bai, as a temporary storage point before transporting the drugs into Malaysia.
“After raiding the forest where the drugs were believed to be hidden, they saw two Thai men at the place,” he told the New Straits Times.
“Further checking, the officers discovered several black plastic bags containing Type 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) hidden in the forest.
They then arrested the two men and seized 1.8 million methamphetamine pills,” he added.
He said the duo was believed to be part of a drug network operating from Tachilek, Myanmar, and using parcel delivery services to traffic drugs across the border into Malaysia.
“Early investigations revealed that both suspects were connected to a drug trafficking network operating from Tachilek. Thai police had been monitoring their activities using technical surveillance and intelligence gathering, which confirmed that the duo had stored the drugs at the location,” he said.
The suspects and the seized drugs have been handed over to the Narathiwat Provincial Police Narcotics Suppression Command Centre (NSCC) for further investigation.
“Thai police are identifying other members of the syndicate and the mastermind behind the operation,” he added.
The Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet, is one of the world’s most notorious drug-producing regions.
Once known for opium, it is now a major source of methamphetamine, with traffickers exploiting the area’s dense forests and porous borders to smuggle drugs into neighbouring countries, including Malaysia.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
