Drug Smuggling Gang Abandons Boat and Swims Away, Leaving Behind 7 Sacks with 2.8 Million Methamphetamine Pills

A drug smuggling gang crossing from Thailand-Laos abandoned their boat and swam away, leaving behind 7 sacks containing 2.8 million methamphetamine pills after being discovered by river patrol units along the Mekong River. At 3:30 PM on January 30, 2024, at the Mukdahan Boat Station, local officials held a press conference about the drug seizure. The press conference was attended by Worayarn Boonnarach, the Governor of Mukdahan, along with other high-ranking officials including naval and local law enforcement representatives. The operation began on January 29 when authorities received intelligence about an illegal smuggling operation crossing the Mekong River from Laos near Ban Phong Kham in Mukdahan province. Security forces set up surveillance in the target area, and at around 11:30 PM, they spotted a suspicious boat with approximately 3 men approaching from the Laotian side. When the patrol units revealed themselves to inspect the boat, the smugglers immediately abandoned their cargo and jumped into the river, escaping under the cover of darkness. Authorities found 7 sacks containing methamphetamine pills: 3 sacks on the riverbank and 4 on the boat. The seized drugs were 2.8 million pink "WY" methamphetamine pills stamped with "999", packaged in 280 blocks of 10,000 pills each. Along with the drugs, authorities also seized the smugglers' boat. The case has been handed over to local police for further investigation into the cross-border drug trafficking network.