Bangkok Police Arrest 6 Vietnamese Nationals Tied To Tamarind Paste Meth Plot

BANGKOK – Police recently raided four locations across Bangkok to dismantle a major drug smuggling ring. During these raids, officers arrested six Vietnamese nationals who were linked to a highly clever criminal plot. The gang attempted to smuggle over two kilograms of crystal meth into Japan by hiding it in jars of everyday tamarind paste.

Key Takeaways

Major Arrests: Police successfully captured six Vietnamese suspects during coordinated raids in Bangkok’s Bueng Kum and Bang Kapi districts.
Clever Smuggling Plot: The criminal gang hid over two kilograms of crystal meth inside jars of tamarind paste meant for Japan.
Alert Courier: A smart delivery worker noticed the package felt suspiciously heavy and immediately called the police for help.

The investigation officially began when a hired courier noticed something very strange about a delivery package. The worker was originally supposed to carry these local items all the way to Japan. However, a simple jar of tamarind paste felt much heavier than it naturally should.

Because of this unusual weight difference, the observant courier immediately contacted the local authorities. Police officers opened the jar and quickly found more than two kilograms of pure crystal meth hidden inside. As a result, this incredibly smart move by the courier stopped the dangerous drugs from leaving the country.

Meanwhile, following this shocking discovery, police tracked down a Thai man named Sompong last week. He had recently opened a proxy bank account for his Vietnamese girlfriend, who is simply known as “Mali.” Currently, police investigators are preparing to issue a formal arrest warrant for Mali.

Police Crack Down on the Suspects

On July 21, senior police officers ordered a massive search operation to find the remaining gang members. They systematically raided four different residential locations in the Bueng Kum and Bang Kapi areas of Bangkok. Fortunately, while three of the houses showed no signs of illegal activity, the final location provided a breakthrough.

At the fourth location in Bang Kapi, police hit the jackpot and discovered the gang’s main hideout. Interestingly, this was the exact spot where a delivery rider had previously picked up the drug-filled package. Inside the residence, officers found a group of Vietnamese nationals quietly hiding out together.

Consequently, police arrested five young women and one adult man at the busy house. The five women, aged between 18 and 28, currently face serious charges for using illegal drugs. Furthermore, the 28-year-old man, identified as Do Nhu, faces severe charges for possessing illegal narcotics without permission.

Police Hunt For Shipper Who Hid 2kg of Crystal Meth in Tamarind Paste

Gathering Evidence and Suspect Denials

The male suspect confidently told police that he merely worked as an entertainment modeling agent. He claimed he found local entertainment jobs for the young women and paid them 700 baht per gig. Even though the group admitted to using drugs, they strongly denied joining any transnational smuggling ring.

During the intense raid, officers safely seized all mobile phones and electronic devices from the suspects. They will carefully use this digital evidence to find more hidden connections to the wider drug network. Moreover, police successfully confiscated a copy of Mali’s passport to help secure her upcoming arrest warrant.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Teeradej Thammasutee shared an incredibly important safety message with the general public. He strongly warned travelers and couriers to always check packages carefully before carrying them overseas. Criminals often try to hide illegal drugs inside innocent-looking dry food or basic agricultural goods.

Ultimately, if a package ever feels unusually heavy or looks suspicious, you should never accept it. The police also warned everyday people against opening proxy bank accounts for random strangers or even romantic partners. Doing this makes you a criminal part of an international network, and police will prosecute you very strictly.