Major Drug Haul on Thai-Burma Border Follows Fatal Shootout
Five men were killed and one million methamphetamine pills were seized in a clash between Thai authorities and suspected drug traffickers.
By NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (NMG)
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Five men were killed and one million methamphetamine pills were seized following a clash between Thai border authorities and suspected drug traffickers on Saturday night in Thailand’s Chiang Rai Province.
According to a Thai military officer, the fighting occurred 700 meters from the Burmese border, in Wiang Phang Kham village tract in Maesai District. The Thai authorities were reportedly acting on a tip that there would be a large haul of drugs moving through the area.
He said that around seven men carrying bags entered Thailand through the Nang Noon mountain range, the same area where a group of teenage students found themselves trapped in a cave months ago.
The Thai border forces said they attempted to stop the men, but that shots were fired, leading to the deaths of five suspected drug traffickers and the seizure of five large bags of “speed” pills.
