Maj Tawan Lekmad of the Phuket Provincial Police explained that officers had already received a tip-off about the delivery and were just waiting for the pickup to arrive.
The pickup arrived as expected, at about 4:30pm, and officers searched the back of the truck.
The haul of kratom was packed in baskets and in sacks, all under a tarpaulin covering the load.
The officers arrested the three in the people travelling in the pickup: two men named as
Wisut Maprai, 30, and Monchai Oncham, 22; and one woman named as Wilaiwan Oncham, 31.
All three are from Ratchaburi. Maj Tawan noted.
The kratom was seized as evidence, as was the pickup truck and two iPhones.
“The accused confessed to the allegations against them,” Maj Tawan noted in his report.
All three suspects were taken to Tha Chatchai Police Station nearby and charged with possession of a Category 5 drug with intent to sell, he added.
With Phuket airport and all ports on the island closed to all domestic travel, the bridge onto Phuket is currently the only way onto the island.
As such, all people wanting to travel into Phuket must register first and apply to be granted special permission by Phuket officials.
It was not explained whether the three from Ratchaburi had been granted such permission.