During a subsequent search operation, authorities discovered the bodies of six men believed to be drug traffickers. They also seized 1.3 million methamphetamine pills, shotguns, ammunition, and an AK-47 rifle from the surrounding forest area. Military officials stated that some members of the drug trafficking organization likely fled across the border and are now pursuing the network behind the operation.
The area, known as the "Golden Triangle" where Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand meet along the Mekong River, is notorious for drug production. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Myanmar produced approximately 1,080 tons of opium in the previous year, the world's largest amount. In 2022, a record 190 tons of methamphetamine were seized by authorities across Southeast and East Asia. Thailand has intensified its anti-drug efforts, declaring a "war on drugs" last year.
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