Bangkok: Narcotics Suppression Bureau police have announced the arrest of two suspects involved in smuggling over 13 million methamphetamine pills, highlighting the increasing use of youths in drug transportation due to tightened border controls. The police revealed statistics on nationwide drug suppression operations from October 1, 2024, to the present, which have resulted in the arrest of over 100,000 suspects and the seizure of 566 million methamphetamine pills, 30,000 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, and assets valued at 5,301 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the arrests were part of a major crackdown on a significant drug trafficking network. Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, and Pol. Gen. Prajuab Wongsuk, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, were among the officials who announced the operation's success. The confiscated evidence included 13,200,000 methamphetamine pills and two vehicles.
In the first case, Narcotics Suppression Division 3 police collaborated with local agencies and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to monitor drug smuggling along the northern border. On April 7, 2025, they tracked a suspicious pickup truck in Chiang Mai Province, which led to the seizure of 12,000,000 methamphetamine pills hidden under cabbage. The suspect was taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
A second arrest occurred on April 10, 2025, when Chiang Rai Narcotics Suppression Bureau arrested a suspect with 1,200,000 methamphetamine pills. The operation was based on intelligence about a drug network in Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province. After tailing a pickup truck to a department store, officers detained a juvenile suspect and confiscated the concealed drugs.
Despite recent crackdowns, Pol. Col. Tawi noted that drug masterminds continue to operate, with approximately 450 million narcotics seized in the past year. The drugs are often smuggled into Bangkok and its surrounding areas, marked with the letter Y1, before being distributed to the southern border provinces.
Pol. Gen. Prachuap highlighted that drug smuggling activities tend to increase during the Songkran Festival in April. The Royal Thai Police have intensified efforts to intercept smugglers along the Northern border and throughout their transportation routes to Bangkok. Arrests involve thorough investigations, with measures to seize assets under the Collusion Act.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Santi addressed concerns regarding the involvement of younger smugglers, stating that while the age of smugglers has decreased, prosecution remains unaffected. Juveniles are processed through juvenile and family courts in accordance with the law.
The Royal Thai Police's drug suppression operations from October 2024 to the present have resulted in 136,189 arrests and the seizure of substantial quantities of methamphetamine, ice, heroin, ketamine, and ecstasy, alongside significant asset confiscations. The Narcotics Suppression Bureau alone has successfully dismantled numerous drug trafficking gangs, further underscoring the authorities' commitment to combating drug-related crime.