Four suspected drug couriers have been arrested and methamphetamine pills worth about 150 million baht seized from their vehicle during a police-military operation in Tha Uthen district.
The arrests of Nirut Moonprom, 26, of Mukdahan, Chakrit Paknatha, 21,of Bangkok, Suparb Raksaphan, 36, of Mukdahan, and Chalerm Phromlao, 33, of Mukdahan were announced at a media briefing at the Nakhon Phanom police office on Thursday afternoon.
They were found in possession of 770,000 meth pills, Police also seized two vehicles allegedly used for drug smuggling.
Police said Mr Nirut and Mr Chakrit were detained first, after they searched a Toyota Fortuner with Bangkok licence plates parked on a road in tambon That Phanom.
The search uncovered three fertiliser sacks containing 770,000 speed pills. Mr Nirut was the driver of the vehicle.
Another team later arrested the two other suspects, Mr Suparb and Mr Chalerm, after pulling over a Toyota Altis with Mukdahan licence plates. The car was driven by Mr Suparb.
He and Mr Chalerm were supposed to warn the other two if they spotted police checkpoints along the smuggling route.
During questioning, all suspects alleged confessed to having been hired for 100,000 baht by a Thai man to pick up the drugs, which had been smuggled from Laos by long-tail boat across the Mekong River.
They allegedy admitted doing the same job several times in the past, delivering the drugs to inner provinces.
Over the past two months, about 5 million meth pills smuggled into Nakhon Phanom province have been seized, police said.
Nakhon Phanom governor Kraisorn Kongchalard, provincial police chief Pol Maj Gen Thanachart Rodkhlongtan and officers from police and military units involved in the operation were present at the briefing.
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Nakhon Phanom governor Kraisorn Kongchalard, centre, and senior police and soldiers announce the arrest of the four people and seizure of 770,000 meth pills in Tha Uthen district of Nakhon Phanom, at a media briefing on Thursday. (Photo: Pattanapong Sripiachai)
