CHIANG RAI: A local man was shot dead when drug traffickers fired on police while attempting to flee arrest on a dark road near the border early on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, police lay in waiting along a road leading to Moo 4 village of tambon Pa Sang in Mae Chan district.
About 1.30am, two black Toyota pickup trucks were seen approaching from the direction of Mae Fa Luang district. Police emerged and signalled the two vehicles to stop. Instead, a man in the leading truck fired at them. That led to a five-minute-long exchange of shots as the smugglers attempted to flee.
When the shooting died down, police found a man identified as Akor sae Mee, 29, dead in one of the trucks. A shotgun pistol was found near his body. He was a native of Mae Fa Luang district, police said.
The driver of the second truck made good his escape, on foot, into the night.
The two pickups were carrying total of 25 large black-plastic wrapped bundles, containing 5 million speed pills. Both seized vehicles were locally registered.
