Chiang Rai police chased suspected drug traffickers until a truck flipped and nearly six million Yaba pills spilled out. The drug bust was the culmination of an ongoing drug smuggling investigation by the police. Several suspects are still wanted in connection to the incident that was reported yesterday.
Police had been alerted to a group of drug traffickers earlier and an investigation ensued. They spotted three suspicious cars driving together and followed them. When they eventually arrived at a police checkpoint in Mae Suai district in Chiang Rai, the cars tried to speed up to get past the checkpoint. Officers reported the cars were moving erratically and evasively.
When police attempted to stop the three vehicles suspected of drug running, they took off. Officers gave chase and two of the cars managed to evade them. The third was less lucky and lost control, flipping onto its side on the street right in front of a local restaurant where diners were enjoying a buffet.
By the time police caught up with the flipped truck, the driver had escaped and was nowhere to be found. But the back of the truck had been loaded with 31 large bags full of Yaba. In total, police tallied 5,990,000 Yaba pills in the captured car.
The Mae Suai District Police aided Chiang Rai police in tracking down the other cars that fled. Later that evening, a second truck was apprehended at a different checkpoint. It was believed to be the lead car guiding the other two drug smuggling trucks. The driver was taken into custody and the car was impounded. It was moved, along with the flipped truck and the 31 bags of drugs, to the Mae Suai Police Station as evidence.
Police are continuing their investigation and are still searching for the missing third car in the drug smuggling convoy. They have information about at least two other suspects who were driving the two other vehicles. It is unknown if there were passengers in the cars of other suspects connected to this bust.
SOURCE: Thai Residents