Chiang Rai Border Patrol intercepted a massive shipment of 10 million methamphetamine pills along the Mekong River. About 10 traffickers were seen moving the drugs from a boat onto the shore before abandoning a Pajero vehicle and fleeing into a cornfield along the riverbank.
On 19 August 2026, officials from the Chiang Rai Border Patrol unit, together with the intelligence and special naval warfare teams of the Pha Muang Task Force, intercepted a large drug trafficking operation along the Mekong River. They seized approximately 10 million methamphetamine pills while the suspects escaped under cover of darkness and heavy rain.
The operation was led by Rear Admiral Narong Emdee, Commander of the Mekong River Peacekeeping Unit, and Commander Pakorn Maneam of Chiang Rai Border Patrol. After intelligence indicated a large drug shipment was coming into Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province, Lieutenant Colonel Sanya Janjee, patrol boat commander, was ordered to deploy forces to patrol and monitor suspicious areas.
Around 2:00 a.m., the patrol team spotted movement of about 10 armed men at the river pier in Ban Tha Khan Thong, Village No. 3, Ban Saeo Subdistrict, Chiang Saen District. They set up an ambush and observation post.
Soon after, they saw a wooden boat with men paddling to dock at the pier, where the group began unloading sacks from the boat to shore. At the same time, a white Mitsubishi Pajero, license plate JTH-4647 Chiang Mai, arrived at the pier. Authorities then revealed themselves to inspect the scene.
Upon seeing officials, the driver immediately exited the vehicle and fled into a cornfield along the Mekong River, while the men at the pier jumped into the boat and paddled away amid heavy rain. Officials spread out to search the cornfield and surrounding area throughout the night until dawn but were unable to apprehend the suspects.
At the pier, authorities found 34 black sacks which, upon inspection, contained methamphetamine pills estimated at about 10 million in total. The drugs were seized as evidence and transported to the Chiang Rai Border Patrol base for secure storage and detailed examination.
Commander Pakorn Maneam of the Chiang Rai Border Patrol stated that this interception resulted from intensified intelligence gathering and border patrols, especially during the rainy season when traffickers expect bad weather to hinder law enforcement and use heavy rain as cover to smuggle drugs into Thailand.
Nevertheless, authorities increased vigilance and continuously monitored trafficker movements, enabling detection and interception of this large drug shipment despite the suspects using rain and darkness to escape.
The approximately 10 million methamphetamine pills seized are currently being counted and thoroughly examined. Senior commanders of the Pha Muang Task Force are scheduled to inspect the evidence and hold a press briefing at the Chiang Rai Border Patrol base later this evening.