IN A shocking discovery it was found that over 400,000 methamphetamine pills seized by a Thai navy team supported by some soldiers had been mixed with sodium cyanide turning them lethal as people who take them either get addicted or die, Naewna newspaper said this morning (July 6).
Sodium cyanide is a poisonous compound with the formula NaCN. It is a white, water-soluble solid. Cyanide has a high affinity for metals, which leads to the high toxicity of this salt. Its main application, in gold mining, also exploits its high reactivity toward metals. It is a moderately strong base, according to Wikipedia.
Sodium cyanide, like other soluble cyanide salts, is among the most rapidly acting of all known poisons. NaCN is a potent inhibitor of respiration, acting on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase and hence blocking electron transport. This results in decreased oxidative metabolism and oxygen utilisation. Lactic acidosis then occurs as a consequence of anaerobic metabolism. An oral dosage as small as 200–300 mg can be fatal.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the navy’s Mekong River Operation Unit together with some soldiers laid in wait on Thursday night (July 4) at Tha Sai Rang pier on the Thai side of Mekong river in Bueng Khong Long district, Bueng Kan province.
At around 8 p.m. two suspects rode up on a motorcycle and parked near the pier. Around 10 minutes later a local fishing boat sailed in and docked at the pier near the parked motorcycle.
After that two men from the boat carried suspicious sacks ashore and handed them over to the two waiting motorcyclists and quickly sailed away to the opposite bank.
As the two motorcyclists were carrying the sacks to the pavement, the waiting team moved in to arrest them. However because they are local residents and know the terrain well and it was dark, they managed to escape leaving the motorcycle behind.
The officers found two fertiliser sacks which they took to the police station. There it was found that they contained 205 bundles of meth pills with Y1 stamped on them totaling 410,000 pills and three bags of crystal methamphetamine (Ice) weighing 36 grammes.
An investigation revealed that the motorcycle belonged to Mr. Pornchai who has been summoned to be questioned whether he is involved in this drug smuggling attempt.
It was later found that the precursor used to produce these meth pills and Ice is sodium cyanide which is a salt used in the gold mining industry.
Information from the Narcotics Control Board reveals that one kilogramme of sodium cyanide costs 100 baht and this amount can be used to produce 22,000 meth pills or 0.44kg of Ice.
The cost per meth pill is 50 satang with the price rising to 2 to 4 baht when transported to the North and Northeastern border areas.
Once distributed nationwide the wholesale price per meth pill is 10 baht and retail price 15 baht.
Police said drug runners usually smuggle meth pills in Thailand on alternate days and in taking these deadly pills people either get addicted or die.
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Top and Front Page: A large lot of meth pills mixed with sodium cyanide was seized in Bueng Kan province on Thursday night, July 4, 2024. Photos: Naewna
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