Law enforcement officials in Thailand say they have seized more than a tonne of methamphetamine they believe was bound for Australia.

Officials from police and the Narcotics Control Board announced the 1.2 tonnes of the drug, also known as “ice”, likely came from Thailand’s northern border region, which is part of the Golden Triangle where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet.

The methamphetamine seized last Wednesday in Songkhla province was disguised as packages of tea.

Officials announced at a news conference on Monday the three suspects believed to be transporting the drug had escaped, making it hard to know the traffickers’ plans.

Wichai Chaimongkol, the secretary general of the Narcotics Control Board, said authorities had hoped to track the drugs to their destination in Australia in order to arrest higher-ranking members of the trafficking gang, but the three suspected smugglers in Songkhla became aware they were being watched.

Thai officials believe the drugs, hidden in a house and two utes, were to be smuggled to Australia by sea, Mr Wichai said.

Drugs that were seized in recent raids, including in Bangkok in March and April, also were supposedly bound for Australia.

In November, Thai narcotics officials said in the past year they had intercepted drugs bound for Australia 22 times disguised in various forms, one of which involved pillow cases that were coated with methamphetamine.

-AP