Thai police seize drugs worth half a billion ringgit from three weeks of operation

BANGKOK: Thai police seized another 5.37 million "Yaba" pills and 120kg of "Crystal Methaphetamine" (Ice) before they could be distributed around Bangkok as well as smuggled to neighbouring countries.
National Police Chief Gen Chakthip Chaijinda said the drugs originated from southern Wa State, an autonomous region in Myanmar which has been known as one of the most active drug producing regions bordering northern Thailand.
"Following the arrest of two men yesterday, the police found 2.5 million "Yaba" pills inside a truck and another 2.87 million "Yaba" pills as well as 120kg of "Crystal Methaphetamine" inside a rented house in Nonthaburi near Bangkok," he said here today.
The operation also saw the police confiscated an M-16 assault rifle and three vehicles.
According to the police chief, the drugs belonged to the same syndicate behind another two huge drug seizures earlier this month and last month.
Chakthip said yesterday's success had brought the total amount of drugs they seized from the syndicate during the past three weeks to 26 million "Yaba" pills estimated to be worth around four billion Baht (about RM506 million).
The combined value of "Crystal Methaphetamine" seized during three weeks operations was estimated at 400 million Baht (RM50.6 million), he said.
The value of the drugs could worth several times more if they managed to reach overseas market.
In an earlier operations launched in Nov and early this month, Thai police confiscated 20.8 million "Yaba" pills and 12kg "Crystal Methaphetamine" around Bangkok and arrested several men suspected to be members of the syndicate. — Bernama