A suspected drug dealer is fighting for his life after allegedly swallowing more than 100 meth pills during a police chase.

Metha, 40, was said to have shoved the bag of drugs down his throat while being arrested by cops in Samut Prakan, Thailand, on April 17.

Footage of the dramatic chase shows officers pursuing Metha down a road in the outskirts of the capital Bangkok. When he was stuck in a traffic jam, he then leapt out of his sedan to flee on foot, but was quickly caught by the physically fitter cops.

However, instead of handing over the contraband, the defiant suspect jammed the bag meth pills into his mouth and crunched on them. Shocked cops screamed for him to spit out the evidence, but he swallowed the hard drugs with a gulp.

However, Metha soon started suffering cold sweats and convulsions as the meth flooded into his system. Police rushed him to the Bang Sao Thong Hospital, where doctors pumped out the banned substance from his gut.

Police Sergeant Major Paphawin Damuang, investigation commander at the Bang Phli Police Station, said: 'While I was on patrol with my partner, we noticed a sedan parked suspiciously on the side of the road.

'As we approached, the driver suddenly sped off. We gave chase and caught up, only to see the suspect trying to discard the drugs. When he realized he'd been seen, he swallowed the drugs and attempted to flee.

'But his condition quickly worsened, and we had to call an ambulance to rush him to the hospital. A background check later revealed he had four prior drug-related charges.'

He added that Metha was in stable condition and will face charges once he has recovered.

Meth is classified as a category 1 substance in Thailand.

Under Thai law, using category 1 substances may be punished with up to three years in jail and a fine of up to 60,000 baht, while possession carries a fine of up to 200,000 baht and up to 10 years imprisonment.

Those convicted of dealing may face life imprisonment and a five million baht fine, depending on the amount involved. Producers, importers, and exporters of Category 1 substances face the same charges and may face the death penalty if it is proven their intent was to sell or distribute on a large scale.