Thai Police Seize 8 Million Meth Pills Hidden in Chiang Rai Cemetery

Thai Narcotics Suppression Police uncovered a massive cache of approximately 8 million methamphetamine pills concealed inside a rural cemetery in Ban Saw Wa, San Sai Ngam sub‑district, Thoeng District, Chiang Rai. The drugs were traced to a production and processing plant in Ban Punakho, Shan State, Myanmar, and were smuggled across the Mekong River via Laos before being stored in the Thai village.

Investigators suspect the operation was orchestrated by a fugitive drug lord named Long Sae Lee. The bust involved coordination between the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and local border rangers, highlighting the ongoing challenge of drug trafficking along the Golden Triangle.

The seizure, comprising 27 sacks of meth pills, represents one of the largest drug busts in the region and is expected to disrupt the supply chain feeding local communities.