The Thailand military has killed five suspected drug traffickers and recovered almost 500,000 methamphetamine pills near the “Golden Triangle” region.
The Thai military’s Pha Muang Task Force said in a statement on Friday that a military patrol encountered suspected smugglers carrying backpacks on Thursday in Chiang Rai province near the Golden Triangle.
Refusing to be searched, the group of five opened fire and an armed clash ensued in which the five suspects were killed.
The Golden Triangle region is known as a hotspot for drug trade, with the production and trafficking of methamphetamine and opium.
Al Jazeera also added that the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is poised to release a new report on drugs and opium cultivation in the region.
