LAMPANG/CHIANG RAI - Three members of a drug gang were arrested with 250,000 methamphetamine pills and 4kg of crystal meth after their speeding Fortuner overturned while being pursued by police in Muang district of Lampang late on Tuesday night.
Another drug suspect was arrested on the same night in Chiang Rai’s Mae Tha district, with 100,000 speed pills.
In the first action, a team of narcotics suppression police tried to block the suspected bronze Fortuner with a Lampang licence plate when it arrived in downtown Lampang. Upon seeing the officers, the driver changed the route to a road along an irrigation canal behind Surasak Montri Camp Hospital. But the road was being repaired, causing the driver of the speeding Fortuner to lose control and skid off the road before overturning.
The chase team arrived at the spot to arrest two men and one woman on board the overturned vehicle. Police identified the driver as Pongsakorn Panjaem, 39, known as “Jo Ban Rai”. He was wanted for involvement in drug trading. The two other suspects were not identified.
A search found hidden compartments in the vehicle containing 250,000 speed pills and 4kg of crystal methamphetamine.
Drug suspect Theeraphat Uttama, 37, along with 100,000 speed pills seized from his car in Chiang Rai's Mae Tha district late on Tuesday night. (Photo by Aswin Wongnorkaew)
He confessed to having smuggled the drugs from a border area in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai, according to police.
In Chiang Rai, drug suspect Theeraphat Uttama, 37, was arrested and 100,000 speed pills seized from his car in Mae Tha district on the same night.
Police stopped the vehicle for a search and found the drugs hidden under an LPG cylinder at the back of the vehicle.
Mr Theeraphat allegedly admitted to having smuggled the drugs from Chiang Saen district of this northern province, and said they were destined for an agent in Sukhothai province. He admitted to having made five similar deliveries before being arrested.