PATHUM THANI, THAILAND – Police arrested a taxi driver in one of the year’s largest methamphetamine hauls, seizing nearly seven million pills worth about 200 million baht.
Arrest at shopping mall car park
The chase ended in the car park of a shopping mall, where officers intercepted Peekorn, 35, and his white Honda Stepwagon Spada. The vehicle was registered to a man in Khon Kaen.
“The suspect was just about to pick up the car keys when we moved in,”
said an investigator. The taxi driver was unable to flee and was overpowered without incident.
38 sacks and 6.76 million meth pills
Inside the vehicle, officers found 38 large sacks, exceeding their worst expectations. Each bag was tightly packed with the notorious red methamphetamine tablets, totalling 6,756,000 pills. With an estimated street value of 200 million baht, roughly 5 million euros, the seizure was described as a major blow to organised crime.
Confession and previous drug runs
During questioning, the driver immediately confessed, saying he was a taxi driver in Pathum Thani and had taken the job for money. He admitted he had already carried out similar transports twice before, receiving 200,000 baht (about 5,000 euros) each time. His assignment this time was to bring the pills from northern Thailand to Pathum Thani, from where they were to be distributed further south.
Police surveillance from Chiang Rai
Police had received a tip about the transport as early as November and then tracked the white Honda in detail from Chiang Rai to Pathum Thani.
“The perpetrators used different routes to shake us off. But we were always one step ahead,”
said Police Lieutenant General Wathana Yeejeen. The close surveillance led to what officers considered the perfect time for the arrest on 6 December at around 5 p.m.
Investigators target wider drug network
Authorities said the arrested driver was only a small cog in a larger operation. Investigators were now working to dismantle the entire drug network. Who ordered the shipment, where the pills originated and their exact final destinations remained central questions in the probe.
Public urged to assist investigation
Police called on the public to assist by reporting any relevant information. Members of the public were asked to provide tips via the telephone numbers 02-9362177 or 02-5815207. Officers stressed that further arrests were expected as the investigation widened.
Governor warns of hidden drug depots
Pathum Thani governor Ekawit Meephian praised the cooperation between police and local administration but warned of additional hiding places.
“We call on all citizens to remain vigilant. Rented warehouses that could serve as drug trans-shipment points are particularly suspicious,”
said the governor. The dramatic discovery, he added, showed that the drug war was raging not only at Thailand’s borders but also in the middle of residential areas.