BANGKOK – Two Brazilian tourists, aged 26 and 27, were arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok with 7.4 kg of cocaine hidden in secret luggage compartments. The drugs, valued at approximately 22.2 million Baht ($681,580), were discovered during a targeted customs inspection after the pair arrived from Brazil via Paris.
Phanthong Loykulnanta, a spokesperson for the Thai Customs Department, said several agencies, including the Airport Interdiction Task Force, the Office of Narcotics Control Board, and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, worked together on the case.
They travelled from Salvador International Airport in Brazil, changed planes at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and landed in Thailand.
Upon arrival on Monday, customs and narcotics police stopped them for a bag search. X-ray scans revealed odd shapes inside their suitcases. When checked, officers found black carbon paper concealing clear bags filled with cocaine.
In total, the drugs weighed 7,400 grams and had an estimated street value of 22.2 million baht.
Police charged both suspects with smuggling and illegal possession of category 2 narcotics. The charges fall under the Narcotics Code, Customs Act, and related Thai laws.
Meanwhile, a 36-year-old Russian man has been arrested on Koh Phangan after admitting to smuggling hashish from Bhutan by swallowing condoms filled with the drug. Tourist police picked up Denis Bichuk on Tuesday evening after he parked his motorbike outside a supermarket in Tambon Koh Phangan.
Officers searched his backpack and found 9.42 grams of cocaine, 13.56 grams of magic mushrooms, and 415.72 grams of hashish packed inside four condoms. Bichuk told police he had bought the cocaine from another foreigner on the island, paying 4,000 baht per gram. Police have charged him with drug possession.
Cocaine Smuggling into Thailand
Foreigners caught smuggling cocaine into Thailand face severe penalties due to the country’s stringent drug laws, as outlined in the Narcotics Act of 1979 and the Psychotropic Substances Act of 1975.
Cocaine is classified as a Category II narcotic, with importation carrying penalties of up to 20 years to life imprisonment and fines ranging from 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 Baht. Thailand’s authorities actively enforce these laws, often intercepting smugglers at airports.
In April, a 24-year-old New Zealander was detained at Phuket International Airport after attempting to smuggle 0.18 g of cocaine concealed in a small plastic bag inside his passport. The discovery was made during a routine check. He remains in custody, facing charges for importing a Category II narcotic.
In February, Marc Patrick Wharton, a 42-year-old British tourist, was arrested at Phuket International Airport after a tantrum led to a packet of cocaine falling from his pocket. The incident occurred during a security check upon arrival from Shanghai.
Thailand is a major transit hub for narcotics, with cocaine often smuggled from South America through Europe or Africa, sometimes destined for local markets or further distribution in Asia. Authorities note that African, South American, and Chinese trafficking syndicates are active in the cocaine trade, with airports like Suvarnabhumi and Phuket being key entry points.
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