Police seize half-tonne meth haul following intense gunfight with traffickers

Police seized a half-tonne meth haul following an intense gunfight with suspected traffickers on the Thai border.

Chiang Rai Provincial Police said on July 3 that the staggering illegal haul was recovered in two anti-narcotics operations.

In the first case, officers received intelligence that a drug shipment would be transported from the border area in Chiang Saen district further into Thailand in the early hours of July 2.

Police set up patrols before spotting two vehicles suspiciously travelling together at around 1 am local time.

They moved in to inspect the vehicles but were met with gunshots as the alleged traffickers opened fire, sparking a gunfight that lasted around five minutes.

One suspect managed to escape on foot, while another was injured and taken to hospital.

After the clash, police searched the vehicles and seized around 1,102 pounds (500 kilograms) of crystal meth inside a black pickup truck.

Footage shows bullet holes on the windscreen, while a window was shattered.

In a separate operation, officers from Mae Chan Police Station searched a house in Mae Chan district believed to be used as a drug den.

They met the homeowner, Michu, who permitted the search.

Officers found a cardboard box leaning against an exterior wall containing around 10 kilograms (22lbs) of crystal meth packed in tea bags.

A search of a bedroom also uncovered a .22-calibre firearm and ammunition.

Police said the weapon belonged to Michu's 38-year-old son, Achue, who had reportedly fled before officers arrived.

The drugs and firearm were seized, while officers launched a manhunt to track down the fugitive suspect.

Thailand has become a notorious hub for drug 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.