Troops seize smuggled drugs in Thai North

CHIANG RAI, May 14 (TNA) - Thai soldiers have intercepted over 1.6 million pills of smuggled methamphetamine and ecstasy in the northern Chiang Rai province along the common border with Myanmar, worth more than 600 million baht. The Thai troops from the Special 3rd Calvary Regiment of the Pha Muang Task Force on Tuesday seized the smuggled drugs for further examination, including 1.66 million pills of methamphetamine and some 43 kilograms of ecstasy on a roadside in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district, opposite Myanmar Tachilek province, while they were patrolling the border area in the Thai side. The Thai authorities then said they believed from the preliminary inspection that the smuggled drugs belong to a large drug syndicate network headed by Lieutenant Ye Se. The confiscated drugs would have a street value of more than 600 million baht if sold in Thailand's inner areas. The Thai authorities are tracking down those involving in the smuggled drugs for prosecution. (TNA)