US woman caught smuggling 4.3kg of meth on Phuket-Singapore flight
The suspect was flagged down during a routine risk assessment of passenger profiles.PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
BANGKOK – An American woman was arrested at Phuket International Airport on Feb 23 for trying to smuggle 1.29 million baht ($38,300) worth of methamphetamine tablets concealed within bedding sets. The suspect, who was en route to Singapore, was flagged down during a routine risk assessment of passenger profiles.
Customs director-general Theeraj Athanavanich said that two teams of Customs officials played a hand in identifying the suspect: One team was monitoring her, while another inspected her luggage.
A subsequent inspection revealed four bedding sets containing rectangular packages wrapped in multiple layers of brown tape, carbon paper and clear plastic. Chemical tests confirmed that the packages contained crystal methamphetamine, or Ice. The total weight of the drugs, including packaging, was 4.3kg.
READ: Singapore hangs third drug trafficker in a week
The suspect now faces charges under Thailand’s Narcotics Code and the Customs Act for attempting to export Category 1 narcotics without permission.
This seizure is part of Thailand’s efforts to crack down on drug trafficking. Since October 2024, the Customs Department has reported 20 successful methamphetamine seizures weighing 1.72 tonnes in total and valued at 515.19 million baht.
