BANGKOK – Thai Customs authorities have arrested a 50-year-old woman from Romania at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, accusing her of trying to take heroin worth over 1 million baht (about US$30,000) out of the country.
The Thai Customs Department, along with other law enforcement teams, stopped her before she could board a Vietnam Airlines flight to Taiwan via Hanoi. According to spokesman Phanthong Loykulnan, this operation is part of ongoing efforts to stop drug smuggling across Thailand’s borders.
The arrest involved teams from the Customs Department’s Investigation and Suppression Division, the Airport Passenger Inspection Office, the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) and narcotics police.
Officials had been tracking her based on intelligence reports and noticed her at the Vietnam Airlines check-in. X-ray scans of her black hard-shell suitcase showed some irregularities.
When they took a closer look, officers found white powder hidden inside a backpack and a bedding set in her luggage. The haul weighed 3.56 kilograms and had an estimated street value of 1,068,000 baht (about $30,000).
She now faces charges for trying to export Category 1 narcotics (heroin) and for holding a controlled substance, both under Thailand’s Customs Act of 2017.
French Nationals Arrested
In other recent cases, immigration police have arrested two French nationals under serious charges. One man is accused of luring Thai women to help commit child abuse, and the other is suspected of drug trafficking in France.
Immigration Office 1 launched an investigation after a popular TikTok reviewer alerted them to suspicious behaviour from a 40-year-old French citizen named Mr. Andre, who was suspected of abusing children.
He reportedly used dating apps in Thailand to contact single Thai mothers with young daughters, especially those familiar with Western dating culture. After forming relationships, he arranged meetings at upscale condominiums in Bangkok and Pattaya.
During visits, Mr. Andre took advantage of private moments to abuse the children, removing their clothes and filming the incidents. He stored images and videos in private apps on his phones. Police have identified several victims.
Once they located him, officers moved in and arrested Mr. Andre, who had no proper identification papers. A search of his place uncovered two phones loaded with hundreds of images and videos showing child abuse, with the victims ranging in age from six to thirteen, including both Thai and foreign girls.
He faces charges for possessing child pornography for sexual purposes and for staying past his visa limit. Police sent him to Thonglor Police Station and denied bail, citing the risk he poses and lack of legal residency.
The investigation is ongoing to identify more victims and anyone else who may have helped him target children.
Thai police, working with French officials, arrested a 22-year-old French national named Mr Bachir in Phuket. He is wanted in France for drug trafficking and related charges.
Bachir fled to Phuket to avoid arrest but was arrested by local authorities. He admitted to working as a drug courier, ferrying illegal substances to buyers in France. Thai police are working with the French Embassy to arrange his extradition under their criminal suspect transfer agreement.
These recent arrests show Thailand’s commitment to tackling international crime involving foreigners and protecting at-risk groups.
