Thailand seizes 315 kilograms of heroin bound for Australia

Thai customs officials say they have made their biggest seizure of heroin this year, about 315 kilograms (700 pounds) worth up to $29 million

BANGKOK -- Customs officials in Thailand made their biggest seizure of heroin this year, about 315 kilograms (700 pounds) worth up to 944 million baht ($29 million), bringing the total confiscated so far this year to 2 tons, officials said Thursday. They did not say where the drugs originated, but the seizure comes amid concerns that production may surge in neighboring Myanmar, the region’s main supplier of illicit drugs, because of severe instability following the military's ouster of an elected government in February. Customs Department Director-General Patchara Anuntasilpa said 134 shrink-wrapped packets of heroin, each weighing about 2.4 kilograms (5.3 pounds), had been concealed in a shipment of acrylic paint headed for Australia. He said the drugs were discovered on Monday because the packets of heroin were placed in square plastic containers which stood out on X-rays of the paint buckets.