Police have arrested the suspected leader of a drug syndicate in Thailand.

Officers converged on a safehouse nestled in the mountains of Tak province bordering Myanmar and detained Kasin Sae-ma, 59, believed to be the head of the Ma-doi drug network.

Officers also seized 20,000 amphetamine pills, two pistols, 28 bullets, two pickup trucks and a motorcycle during the operation.

Police Major General Samrit Ekkamol, commander of the Tak Provincial Police, announced the arrest on December 20.

He said local police and narcotics suppression police arranged a sting operation and pretended to buy 20,000 amphetamine pills from the suspect for 160,000 THB (4,600 USD).

Undercover agents met Kasin Sae-ma at the safehouse, where police descended on him to make the arrest during the transaction.

Police Major General Samrit said: 'The seized items are estimated to be worth around 1 million baht. The Ma-doi drug network was notorious for smuggling drugs from the mountainous border areas and selling them to teenagers and locals at reduced prices.

'Police dedicated several years to investigating the syndicate and finally caught the leader Kasin, who was known to be a cautious individual. We are preparing a case for his prosecution.'

Myanmar has in recent years become the meth production capital of the world - with gangs from China controlling many of the labs. The recent civil war sparked by the military removal of Aung San Suu Kyi has lead to a power struggle between the army, rebel groups and crime syndicates, for control of the industry.

Officials believe most of the meth is produced in the Shan State of Myanmar before being distributed through neighbouring countries where prices are higher then ending up in the most expensive markets of Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.