Fifteen drug smugglers were killed during a clash with soldiers in the northern border province of Chiang Rai, leading to the seizure of two million methamphetamine pills.
A rapid deployment task force was mobilized to conduct a patrol in the border area in Mae Fah Luang district on Saturday evening to prevent and intercept narcotics.
During the operation, around 7 pm, the task force encountered a suspicious group of 8-10 people with backpacks, walking through the forest. When the military personnel requested a search, the group opened fire on the authorities, leading to a 5-minute clash.
The soldiers waited until the morning before they began inspecting the clash site. The inspection found 15 bodies and 17 sacks, each of which contains 120,000 meth pills, totaling 2,040,000 pills.
The Chiang Rai Provincial Attorney, in collaboration with the local administration in Mae Fa Luang, the Mae Fa Luang Police Station, and the Mae Fa Luang Hospital, conducted further on-site investigations to proceed with legal actions. Subsequently, the seized evidence was handed over to the local police station for legal proceedings. (TNA)
