Pubdate: Sun, 13 Apr 2014
Source: Bangkok Post (Thailand)
Copyright: The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2014
Contact:  http://www.bangkokpost.co.th/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/39

TWO KILLED IN CHIANG MAI DRUG BUST

Two drug couriers were killed and 100,000 methamphetamine pills seized
in two clashes between soldiers of the Pha Muang Force and a band of
drug traffickers near the Thai-Myanmar border in Chiang Mai's Mae Ai
district on Sunday morning, according to force commander Maj Banjerd
Changpoonthong.

Maj Gen Banjerd said the clashes followed the deployment of combined
teams of regular soldiers and rangers to border areas on suspicion
that drugs would be smuggled across the border during the Songkran
festival.

At about 4am on Sunday, one of the teams spotted a group of 10
couriers, each carrying a backpack and an individual weapon, in an
area north of Pa Kui village in tambon Thaton of Mae Ai district and
told them to stop for a search.

The group opened fire at the authorities and a battle raged for about
five minutes.

A second clash, lasting 10 minutes, erupted at 5am when the soldiers
moved in to clear the area, pushing the couriers back across the border.

Four teams of soldiers and rangers then combed the area at
7am.

The bodies of two drug couriers were found with a backpack and a
fertiliser sack, containing altogether 100,000 methamphetamine pills.
A hand grenade was also recovered near the bodies.

Earlier on Saturday, seven drug smugglers were killed in a clash with
soldiers of the Phua Muang Force in Mae Fa Luang district of Chiang
Rai province. Altogether 700,000 speed pills were seized.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D