Thai police have seized 14.8 kilograms of heroin hidden in slurpee machines, intercepted on the way to Taiwan as authorities across the region desperately work to crack down on rampant drug smuggling.
Police, working with the Taiwan Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), found the drugs worth £2.2mn stashed inside the machines in a warehouse near Bangkok on Tuesday.
They understand the machines were imported from Laos and were on the way to Taiwan, and pledged to continue tracking down the criminal network behind the operations. The ONCB confirmed a Thai national had already been arrested in connection to the investigation.
Authorities also believe the group behind the scheme are the same outfit that last month tried to smuggle 320kg of ketamine to Taiwan inside toy Transformers models, according to Taiwan News.
At a press conference on Tuesday explaining the haul, the case was also linked to the discovery of heroin bricks worth hundreds of million dollars found hidden in a coffee machine in Kaohsiung, Taiwan last year.
Confiscated packs of heroin in a slurpee machine are shown at a press conference today
Authorities are starting to reap the rewards of a cross-border intelligence-sharing project
At a press conference, authorities from the joint operation announce the haul on May 15
Authorities today displayed the careful concealment of the bricks of heroin, packaged into the outer frame of one of the slush machines.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurath Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said the drugs were hidden in two machines with medium sized iron boxes inside.
Pulling back the outer shell revealed brown parcels with a red stamp on the packaging.
Police had several of the packages on display for media as armed guards stood on behind.
They revealed the machines were intercepted from a shipping company in Bangkok on May 14, already prepared to be shipping to Taiwan.
But police are still trying to determine which smuggling group is behind the operation, and whether it connect to similar cases, as suspected.
Thai police estimate the batch found on Tuesday could be worth as much as 100 million baht (around £2.2mn) on the Taiwanese market.
This is eight to ten times the value it could fetch in Thailand, according to local media.
They are continuing to work with authorities in Taiwan to trace possible leads, and will now gather evidence to prosecute those involved.
The bust followed a joint operation in April that concluded with the seizure of 320kg of ketamine similarly hidden in a steel Transformers toy and also destined for Taiwan.
Following an arrest, the ONCB worked with the MJIB until May 14, when they received information about another possible shipment, per local media.
Since October last year authorities have made as many as 80 cases of arrests and seizes of drugs including heroin, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy as the region battles rife international drug trafficking.
As many as 74 individuals have so far been arrested during the hunt, The Thaiger reported.
The most popular destinations for Buy Alprazolam Online export were Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea.
Only on Friday, Thai police seized £2mn worth of methamphetamine in a bust in Nakhon Nayok province after a tip off about the movement of large quantities of drugs.
Kittharath Punpetch, national police chief, said 40 bags of 'ice' were seized from a pick-up truck during the raid, as reported by The Independent.
Punpetch said both his forces and the army were on alert and monitoring gangs nationwide.
Officials handle blocks of heroin hidden inside two machines during Tuesday's conference
Officials revealed the machines were intercepted from a shipping company in Bangkok
Thailand's position in the so-called 'Golden Triangle' makes it a strategic passage for groups looking to move shipments on to more lucrative markets.
The region has been one of the largest global opium producers since the 1950s and continues to traffic huge quantities of hard drugs.
The Thai government continues to trial cross-border policies to share intelligence and clamp down on rampant smuggling.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, itself promoting a regional intelligence gathering network, said Thai and Lao authorities are now 'experiencing some success'.
At the conference today, the ONCB expressed its gratitude for the help of the MJIB and other foreign partners in helping tackle the scourge.
TaiwanThailand
Police, working with the Taiwan Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), found the drugs worth £2.2mn stashed inside the machines in a warehouse near Bangkok on Tuesday.
They understand the machines were imported from Laos and were on the way to Taiwan, and pledged to continue tracking down the criminal network behind the operations. The ONCB confirmed a Thai national had already been arrested in connection to the investigation.
Authorities also believe the group behind the scheme are the same outfit that last month tried to smuggle 320kg of ketamine to Taiwan inside toy Transformers models, according to Taiwan News.
At a press conference on Tuesday explaining the haul, the case was also linked to the discovery of heroin bricks worth hundreds of million dollars found hidden in a coffee machine in Kaohsiung, Taiwan last year.
Confiscated packs of heroin in a slurpee machine are shown at a press conference today
Authorities are starting to reap the rewards of a cross-border intelligence-sharing project
At a press conference, authorities from the joint operation announce the haul on May 15
Authorities today displayed the careful concealment of the bricks of heroin, packaged into the outer frame of one of the slush machines.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanurath Lakboon, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said the drugs were hidden in two machines with medium sized iron boxes inside.
Pulling back the outer shell revealed brown parcels with a red stamp on the packaging.
Police had several of the packages on display for media as armed guards stood on behind.
They revealed the machines were intercepted from a shipping company in Bangkok on May 14, already prepared to be shipping to Taiwan.
But police are still trying to determine which smuggling group is behind the operation, and whether it connect to similar cases, as suspected.
Thai police estimate the batch found on Tuesday could be worth as much as 100 million baht (around £2.2mn) on the Taiwanese market.
This is eight to ten times the value it could fetch in Thailand, according to local media.
They are continuing to work with authorities in Taiwan to trace possible leads, and will now gather evidence to prosecute those involved.
The bust followed a joint operation in April that concluded with the seizure of 320kg of ketamine similarly hidden in a steel Transformers toy and also destined for Taiwan.
Following an arrest, the ONCB worked with the MJIB until May 14, when they received information about another possible shipment, per local media.
Since October last year authorities have made as many as 80 cases of arrests and seizes of drugs including heroin, cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy as the region battles rife international drug trafficking.
As many as 74 individuals have so far been arrested during the hunt, The Thaiger reported.
The most popular destinations for Buy Alprazolam Online export were Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea.
Only on Friday, Thai police seized £2mn worth of methamphetamine in a bust in Nakhon Nayok province after a tip off about the movement of large quantities of drugs.
Kittharath Punpetch, national police chief, said 40 bags of 'ice' were seized from a pick-up truck during the raid, as reported by The Independent.
Punpetch said both his forces and the army were on alert and monitoring gangs nationwide.
Officials handle blocks of heroin hidden inside two machines during Tuesday's conference
Officials revealed the machines were intercepted from a shipping company in Bangkok
Thailand's position in the so-called 'Golden Triangle' makes it a strategic passage for groups looking to move shipments on to more lucrative markets.
The region has been one of the largest global opium producers since the 1950s and continues to traffic huge quantities of hard drugs.
The Thai government continues to trial cross-border policies to share intelligence and clamp down on rampant smuggling.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, itself promoting a regional intelligence gathering network, said Thai and Lao authorities are now 'experiencing some success'.
At the conference today, the ONCB expressed its gratitude for the help of the MJIB and other foreign partners in helping tackle the scourge.
TaiwanThailand