Chinese authorities believe a drug gang is responsible for the murder of 13 sailors on Mekong River in northern Thailand last week. The Foreign Ministry in Yunnan Province said the sailors were killed after their cargo ships were attacked on October 5.
The Hua Ping and Yu Xing 8 were carrying one million amphetamines at the time of the attack. Six sailors from the Hua Ping and seven from the Yu Xing 8 were found floating in the Mekong with their hands bound. All but three of the bodies have been identified.
"This is the most gruesome incident I have ever seen," Chiang Rai police colonel Popkorn Khuncharoensuk tells CNN. "I can't rule out all possibilities, but initially there appears to be drugs involved. But we can't just quickly jump to the conclusion that it was carried out by drug gangs. The case is complicated, and we have to be very thorough.”
Thai and Chinese authorities are investigating the killings.
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