Navy seize half a million meth pills in two sacks abandoned along Thai-Laos border river

The Thai Navy seized more than half a million meth pills dumped in sacks along a Thai-Laos border river.

The Mekong Riverine Unit and Nong Khai Naval Station were patrolling the riverbank following reports of suspicious activity along the Mekong River.

They combed through the tall grass at the scene before discovering two abandoned black sacks, in the early hours of October 8.

They opened the containers and found around 520,000 yaba pills stamped with '999' and 'Y-1'.

No suspects were found at the scene and the drugs were seized as evidence.

Rear Admiral Chanin Sriyaphai, Royal Thai Navy spokesman, said an investigation has been launched to identify who had left the haul.

He said: ‘The Royal Thai Navy will continue to intensify surveillance and interception of illegal activities along the border and the Mekong River, particularly drug smuggling, which impacts national security and public safety.

‘The Navy coordinates operations with security agencies and law enforcement bodies to prevent narcotics from being transported into the country's interior.

‘The Royal Thai Navy affirms its commitment to performing its duties with full effort to monitor, intercept, and suppress illegal activities along the Mekong River, safeguarding the public and continuously supporting national drug control efforts.'

Thailand has become a notorious hub for drug use, production, and trafficking. In the north of the country, the ‘Golden Triangle' area shares borders with Laos and Myanmar, and has produced large amounts of opium since the 1950s but focus in recent years has shifted to the more profitable methamphetamine.

Officials believe most of the meth is produced in the Shan State of Myanmar before being distributed through neighbouring countries where prices are higher before ending up in the most expensive markets of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.

However, cracking down on drug production has been complicated by the influx of crime gangs from China and the Burmese civil war, which has seen the army take over the country - along with control of lucrative drugs chains.