CHIANG MAI - Soldiers seized 300,000 speed pills abandoned by fleeing smugglers following an exchange of gunfire in Fang district of this northern province in the early hours of Saturday.
Two military patrols from the Chaiyanuparb special unit spotted three or four men carrying rucksacks near an orange grove in tambon Monpin in Fang district at about 3am. The soldiers signalled the men to stop for a search, but the men opened fire. This prompted the troops to return fire.
Both sides clashed for about five minutes before the gunfire subsided. No soldiers were hurt, said Maj Gen Keedakorn Chantra, commander of the Pha Muang task force.
Troops were sent to guard the area at night pending a follow-up inspection on Saturday morning.
Teams of soldiers, police and officials went to inspect the scene at 6.40am. They found three modified rucksacks, each containing 100,000 methamphetamine pills. There were no traces of the smugglers.
The seized drugs were handed over to the Fang police station.
A soldier holds some of the speed pills taken from one of three rucksacks abandoned by smugglers. (Photo supplied/Panumet Tanraksa)
