A major drug bust in Chiang Mai has sent shockwaves through Thai law enforcement after police intercepted 700 kilogrammes of methamphetamine hidden in sacks marked with the bizarre branding “Durian.”
The massive haul was discovered in the early hours of Monday, August 18, at around 1.12am, when police patrolling Ban Pa Bong Ngam in the Chiang Dao district stopped a bronze Toyota Tiger pickup for inspection.
Behind the wheel was a man suspected of being a major player in a cross-border drug operation. His name has not been released.
Inside the cargo bed, officers found 28 sacks, each weighing approximately 25 kilogrammes. Compressed bricks of meth—700kg in total—were found inside.
The bizarre “Durian” branding isn’t new. According to the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), this is the sixth time smugglers have used the same packaging in the district.
ONCB Secretary-General Police Lieutenant General Panurat Lakboon revealed the meth had originated in Yangon, Myanmar. From there, it was smuggled into Thailand en route to Indonesia before being shipped to its final destination in Taiwan, Bangkok Post reported.
“This confirms the scale and sophistication of international drug syndicates operating in the region.”
The arrest and seizure were formally announced today, August 20, at a press conference held by Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who vowed to ramp up anti-drug efforts.
Phumtham praised the operation as a “concrete success.”
“The dealers must be prosecuted, and the addicts must be put into the rehabilitation process to return human resources to the country. We will continue working on this—it will not be a flash in the pan.”
Officials stressed the importance of continued cooperation between law enforcement agencies across Southeast Asia to dismantle trafficking networks.
In May last year, Thai police intercepted 14.8 kilogrammes of heroin concealed inside two commercial ice-making machines bound for Taiwan. The drugs were discovered during a joint operation involving the ONCB, the Narcotics Suppression Division, and Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice.
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