Thai Police Seize 1.6 Tonnes of Hidden Drugs

Thai police conducted a significant drug bust, seizing 1.6 tonnes of narcotics hidden under cabbages in a pickup truck. The operation took place at a petrol station in central Ayutthaya province, where officers arrested a 39-year-old Thai man.

The drugs included 900 kilograms of ketamine and 700 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, packaged beneath bags of leafy vegetables. The driver confessed to being hired to transport the drugs for 100,000 baht (approximately $3,000).

He faces drug trafficking charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison. Authorities suspect that the drugs were intended for trafficking to neighboring countries, as Thailand is a major hub for illegal drug trafficking in Southeast Asia.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 236 tonnes of methamphetamine were seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2024, marking a 24% increase from the previous year, with Thailand being a primary transit point for methamphetamine trafficking from Myanmar.