Thai police seize 1.1 tonnes of crystal meth in less than a week

Police in Thailand have seized more than one tonne of crystal methamphetamine in less than a week amid a surge in narcotics trafficking since the country’s borders reopened

after COVID-19 lockdowns. The haul was uncovered in a series of drug busts in the north and south of the country and 10 people have been arrested. The 1.145 tonnes

of crystal meth – smuggled inside tea and coffee packages and hidden in secret compartments of vehicles – was being transported from Thailand’s north and northeastern region to

border areas in the south of the country for onward shipment, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau said in a statement on Tuesday. “We have seized narcotics, crystal

methamphetamine, amounting to more than 1.1 tonnes from all of the total confiscated objects,” said Chinnapat Sarasin, deputy commissioner general of the Royal Thai Police.

“Crystal meth is mostly exported to other countries through Thailand due to the convenience in transportation,” he said. “Some of these drugs were kept for a period of

time before being transported to the southernmost provinces, and they were supposed to be shipped to other countries later.” The COVID pandemic had prevented traffickers

from moving their hauls, Chinnapat said, noting that Thailand was “surrounded by drugs manufacturing hotspots“. “Now that the country has been reopened, the pent-up

products are just being shipped in non-stop,” he said.