CHIANG MAI: A drug smuggler was shot dead after opening fire at patrol police in Mae Ai district Tuesday night with 2.8 million speed pills later found in his vehicle.
Mae Ai district chief Nitipakorn Saengsuwan said border patrol police acting on a tip-off gave a stoppage signal to a Honda CR-V vehicle on a public road in Ban Pong Hai village of tambon Mae Sao at 8.30pm on Tuesday.
The driver stopped the vehicle, opened its door and fired gunshots while attempting to escape. Police fired back and an exchange of gunfire ensued.
After the shootout, police saw the man in his 20s dead about 100 metres from his vehicle. Police then found 14 sacks containing a combined about 2.8 million methamphetamine pills inside the suspect’s vehicle.
Detectives said that the suspect was a member of a drug gang operating out of Ban Na Ma-uen village and was likely transporting the narcotics from the village to central areas of Chiang Rai province.
