Thai PM Hails Massive Narcotics Bust as 330 Million Meth Pills Seized
PM Anutin Charnvirakul vows to dismantle transnational cartels and root out local corruption as Thai authorities seize assets worth over 3.39 billion baht
- Thai authorities seized over 330 million methamphetamine tablets as part of a four-month crackdown aimed at dismantling drug networks.
- The operation resulted in the arrest of more than 88,000 suspects and the freezing of assets valued at over 3.39 billion baht.
- Key arrests included the "brain" of a transnational syndicate and a local politician, highlighting the government's focus on corruption.
- In addition to the meth pills, the bust also confiscated significant quantities of other narcotics, including over 11,000 kg of crystal meth and nearly 2,000 kg of ketamine.
PM Anutin Charnvirakul vows to dismantle transnational cartels and root out local corruption as Thai authorities seize assets worth over 3.39 billion baht.
In one of the most significant blows to the regional narcotics trade in recent years, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul today presided over a high-profile press conference detailing the seizure of over 330 million methamphetamine tablets and the dismantling of several major criminal syndicates.
Chief Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), the Prime Minister revealed the staggering results of a four-month intensive crackdown.
Between October 2025 and mid-January 2026, Thai authorities arrested more than 88,000 suspects and froze assets valued at over 3.39 billion baht.
“We are operating under a ‘Must Win’ mandate,” Anutin told reporters. “This is not just about the volume of drugs seized, but about dismantling the infrastructure of these networks, whether they are managed by international masterminds or enabled by local political figures.”
The "Taiwanese Brain" and Political Infiltration
The operation, which highlighted 15 "big plot" cases, underscored the evolving sophistication of the trade.
Among the most notable arrests was Chiang Ming-feng, described as the "brain" of a transnational network operating out of Bangkok’s upscale Asoke district.
He is accused of concealing ketamine within carpets and chemically altering heroin into a liquid state resembling cosmetic lotion for international export.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through local government, the crackdown also ensnared a prospective local politician in Mukdahan province.
The individual was caught with 282,000 meth pills, a discovery the Prime Minister cited as evidence of the "insidious infiltration" of drug money into the country’s political fabric.
Sophisticated Tactics and Cross-Border Trafficking
The report detailed a variety of desperate smuggling methods.
In Nakhon Si Thammarat, officers intercepted a vehicle where 1 million tablets were hidden in spare tyres and seats, meticulously coated in candle wax to mask the scent from sniffer dogs.
Further north, the Border Patrol Police intercepted nearly half a tonne of crystal meth (Ice) on the banks of the Mekong River as it was being ferried across from Laos.
Another major seizure involved over 7 million tablets found hidden in a commercial lorry in Ratchaburi.
The Human Cost and Next Steps
The statistics released today paint a picture of an immense logistics battle:
- Methamphetamine (Yaba): 330,148,613 tablets
- Crystal Meth (Ice): 11,008 kg
- Ketamine: 1,960 kg
- Heroin: 269 kg
The Prime Minister concluded the briefing by praising the "courage and diligence" of the frontline officers, promising enhanced welfare packages for those involved in these high-risk operations.
He reiterated that the government's focus would now shift toward deeper financial investigations to ensure that the "blood money" of the narcotics trade is permanently stripped from the cartels.
