CHIANG RAI: A Hmong tribal man was arrested and 3.2 million speed pills and more than 500kg of crystal methamphetamine seized following a military chase on two pickup trucks in Thoeng district early yesterday morning.
A team of military rangers manning a road checkpoint in tambon Tabtao, Thoeng district, spotted two suspected vehicles travelling from Paendingthong border village in this northern district about 2.30am.
Officers signalled them to stop for a search but the drivers made a U-turn and sped away. Rangers gave chase and when they reached Rakpaendin village in tambon Tabtao, one of the fleeing pickup trucks plunged into a roadside ditch.
Rangers then divided into teams. One team examined the blue pickup truck at the scene, while the other team followed the second pickup truck, which was later stopped. A total of 44 fertiliser sacks containing illicit drugs were found in the second vehicle.
Driver Laopor Sae Fa, 46, a Hmong tribesman from tambon Tabtao, was arrested.
Of the seized sacks, 16 contained 3,200,000 speed pills, or 200,000 pills each.
The 28 other sacks contained 560kg of crystal methamphetamine, or 20 packs each.
