Police in Samut Songkhram province were alerted by locals to a large cache of crystal methamphetamine, nearly 100 kilogrammes, found floating in a canal.
The discovery has prompted an extensive investigation into the drug network involved. On August 18, Police Lieutenant Chananthip Ongkhlueab, Deputy Inspector at Mueang Samut Songkhram Police Station, received a report of narcotics in the Lampradong canal beside a road in Mueang district.
Accompanied by Kornakod Wongsuwan, Deputy Governor of Samut Songkhram, and Police Major Anake Khachijit, the investigation team confirmed the presence of a considerable amount of crystal meth, totalling 87 kilogrammes, which was subsequently recorded as evidence.
Initial investigations revealed that the 87 kilogrammes of crystal meth belonged to 31 year old Songpon, who is wanted under arrest warrants 111/2568 and 112/2568 issued on August 18.
He is reportedly linked to a previous seizure of 210 kilogrammes of crystal meth and 390 kilogrammes of compressed cannabis, valued at over 81 million baht (US$2.49 million), along with an Isuzu D-Max pickup truck, licence plate 1ขผ7826, from Bangkok.
The latest discovery was found approximately 2 kilometres from a villa where previous seizures were made. Songpon confessed to abandoning the meth before fleeing to Bangkok, where he was eventually apprehended.
The 87 kilogrammes of meth found will be handed over to the Amphawa Police Station to consolidate with previous evidence, bringing the total amount of seized meth to 297 kilogrammes.
During questioning, Songpon and his accomplice, Panida, admitted to hiring a private transport company via an app to deliver drugs to southern Thailand. They are being charged with the possession and intent to sell Type 1 narcotics (crystal meth) and Type 5 narcotics (cannabis) for commercial purposes.
Police have stated that they will further investigate the drug network and scrutinise financial transactions to seize assets related to drug trafficking, reported KhaoSod.
In similar news, a 22 year old man in Loei province was arrested while transporting 500 kilogrammes of methamphetamine. He admitted he took the job to settle debts from football gambling and wrongly assumed police attention was focused on the Cambodian border.
The story Massive drug haul found floating in Samut Songkhram canal as seen on Thaiger News.
