A TEAM of rangers and soldiers ambushed drug traffickers carrying crystal methamphetamine from Myanmar to Chiang Mai last night (Dec. 7) and in the ensuing gunfight killed 15 of them without any fatalities on the Thai side, Matichon newspaper said.
Rangers from Pha Muang Task Force company 3207 together with soldiers from the 4th Cavalry Regiment and 5th Cavalry Regiment’s task force were carrying out their operation to intercept and suppress drug trafficking in a forest in Mon Pin subdistrict, Fang district.
They then spotted about 15 to 20 drug traffickers carrying backpacks walking from Myanmar to the Thai side. They set up an ambush and when the drug runners got near signalled them to stop.
However they opened fire with unknown types of firearms at the soldiers and rangers triggering a clash that lasted around 10 minutes.
The Thai military team guarded the clash site all night and at 6 a.m. today found 15 dead bodies and 29 modified backpacks there. Within the backpacks were an unknown amount of crystal methamphetamine. Also found there was a long-barrel firearm and an unknown type of hand grenade.
Thai military forces are continuing to search this area for drug traffickers, possibly still hiding out.
CAPTION:
The aftermath of the clash where 15 drug traffickers got killed. Photos: Matichon
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