Authorities in Thailand seized 193 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth more than 1 billion baht, hidden in boxing punch bags en route to Australia from Bangkok, police said Thursday.

The synthetic drug was intercepted at the port of Bangkok on 22 December after the shipment of 15 boxing bags became suspicious to customs authorities, Patchara Anuntasilpa, director general of Thailand’s customs department, told a press conference.

The methamphetamine, also known as crystal methamphetamine, weighed about 193.5 kilos and its market value in Australia has been put at A$45.5 million ($32.5 million/28.8 million euros, about a billion baht).

Bangkok Port Custom Office seize over 193 kg of amphetamine hidden in 15 punching bags bound for Australia.

The authorities were suspicious since the Thai boxing training tool is not in such high demand in Australia.https://t.co/M5KSz0dOMg

— WION (@WIONews) December 23, 2021

The seizure of the powdered drug was made with the cooperation of the Thai and Australian customs departments, which work together to tackle transnational drug trafficking across the Asia Pacific region.

Production of methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, in the border region between Thailand, Laos and Myanmar has increased significantly in recent years, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

-Thailand News (TN)