Police seized more than two tonnes of meth on a tourist boat off the eastern coast of Thailand.

Authorities intercepted the boat in the Gulf of Thailand following reports that it was rented for an illegal drug smuggling operation on June 21.

Rubber patrol boats were dispatched to a pier in Rayong, where they found the vessel sailing some five nautical miles off the shore at 11 pm local time.

Police said the crew onboard visibly panicked upon noticing the law enforcers. They were said to have tried throwing sacks into the sea, while others were seen frantically making phone calls.

The arrest team, composed of the Thai Navy, the Department of Special Investigation, and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board stepped onboard to conduct an investigation. They reportedly found sacks containing a white flaky substance later identified as meth.

Eight suspects were arrested and 2.4 tonnes of the narcotics estimated to be worth more than 3 billion baht (67.2 million GBP) were seized.

Officials have not identified the intended destination or origin of the drugs.

In a press conference on June 23, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said: 'My government has a clear stance in opposing all forms of narcotics.

‘We will support the integration of information, the use of investigative technology, and the professional operations of government agencies to eradicate this problem at the local level and dismantle the entire network.

‘Finally, I would like to thank all the officers involved once again.'

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.

Thailand's northern region sits on the edge of the notorious 'Golden Triangle' region, where its borders with neighbouring Myanmar and Laos meet.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said an explosive growth of illegal drug production in the area led to a record 236 tons of meth seized in East and Southeast Asia in 2024.

Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC Acting Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said: 'The 236 tons represent only the amount seized; much more methamphetamine is actually reaching the market.'

At the heart of the Golden Triangle lies the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ), run by notorious Chinese business tycoon and suspected crime boss Zhao Wei in the Chinese vassal state Laos. Communist chiefs are said to turn a Nelsonian eye to his wrongdoing.

In 2007, Zhao brokered a deal with the Laos government and obtained a 99-year lease to build the zone on a 39-square mile patch of impoverished Bokeo province.

The Chinese businessman claims to be a benefactor as he touts the GTSEZ as a tourist and economic hub designed to bring more income and investments into the country. However, both local and international law enforcement agencies believe it is a front for organised crime, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, and call-centre scams.

International authorities have struggled to take down the gambling empire as the Laos government itself is said to be protecting the GTSEZ, in which it has a 20 per cent stake.

(1 GBP = 44.65 THB)