The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) intercepted a large shipment of 10 million methamphetamine pills hidden under a pile of cucumbers, valued at over 500 million baht, in central Nakhon Sawan, arresting one suspect after he drove a pickup truck disguised as carrying cucumbers. Police are urgently expanding the investigation to track down the trafficking network.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), through the Highway Police Division, conducted a late-night operation to intercept a drug trafficking network transporting approximately 10 million methamphetamine pills concealed in a pickup truck loaded with cucumbers on Phahonyothin Road in Nakhon Sawan Province, with an estimated total value exceeding 500 million baht.
The arrest took place at 23:40 on 12 February 2026 at kilometer 355 of Highway 1 (Phahonyothin Road), Nong Krot Subdistrict, Mueang Nakhon Sawan District, Nakhon Sawan Province, after highway police officers from Division 4, Unit 1, received a tip-off from informants about a drug shipment passing through the area and set up surveillance along the suspected route.
They spotted a grey Isuzu D-Max pickup truck with a reinforced metal frame and tightly covered with a tarpaulin over the truck bed passing the checkpoint, matching the informant's description. Officers signaled the driver to stop for inspection and found the driver, Mr. Kriangkrai (surname withheld), acting suspiciously and nervous, claiming he was transporting agricultural produce—cucumbers.
Authorities then escorted the driver and vehicle for a thorough inspection at the Phayuha Khiri vehicle checkpoint, where the truck underwent an X-ray scan revealing numerous suspicious rectangular blocks hidden inside. Upon removing the tarpaulin and cucumbers, they discovered a large quantity of Category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine or yaba), totaling about 10 million pills.
The seized drugs consisted of two types: approximately 8 million methamphetamine pills stamped with the MY logo featuring a UFO and the number 9999, and about 2 million pills stamped with the WY logo featuring F35 and a rice ear. These were packed into 100 bundles, each containing around 100,000 pills.
In addition, police confiscated the pickup truck, one Redmi mobile phone, and a Kasikorn Bank passbook as evidence.
During preliminary questioning, the suspect confessed to all charges, stating that earlier that afternoon he drove to pick up the drugs in Phop Phra District, Tak Province. He coordinated with a contact known as “Phee” before transporting the drugs along a route that avoided checkpoints, passing through Mae Sot, Doi Muser, Wang Chao, and Kamphaeng Phet, with the final destination near Rim Ping Market, Bang Muang Subdistrict, Mueang Nakhon Sawan District. He was to be paid 4,000 baht upon successful delivery.
Officials charged the suspect with possession and distribution of Category 1 narcotics with intent to sell, an act causing widespread public harm and affecting national security. He was detained along with the seized items and handed over to investigators of Division 4, Crime Suppression Division, for prosecution under the law. Authorities are continuing to expand the investigation to identify related networks.
The Central Investigation Bureau emphasized that strict inspection measures and advanced technology are currently employed to intercept drug trafficking. No method of concealment can evade detection, and offenders will face decisive legal consequences.