Phuket airport lands record meth bust

[FarangRed]

Phuket airport lands record meth bust

Customs officers at Phuket Airport show where the drugs were stashed in the luggage lining. Photo: Yodsak Jarana

The drugs weighed in at 3.2 kilos of 100% pure crystal meth - a record haul for Phuket Airport. Photo: Yodsak Jarana

PHUKET: A Thai woman was caught trying to smuggle a record 3.2 kilograms of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) into Thailand at Phuket International Airport last night.

The haul, valued at 10.5 million baht, was touted to be the biggest meth bust in the airport's history.

The suspect, 39-year-old Ratchanee Chidnaporn, from Khon Kaen Province in Northeast Thailand (Isarn), arrived from Doha via Kuala Lumpur yesterday afternoon on Qatar Airways flight 624, said Montira Cherchoo, Director of Customs at the airport.

“The suspect was behaving suspiciously while officers were checking her bag with an x-ray machine.

Officers saw something odd in the scan and searched her luggage. They found the ya ice hidden the bag’s lining,” Ms Montira explained.

A chemical test conducted by the officers identified the substance as 100% pure crystal meth, she said.

“We suspect that she [Ratchanee] was working for one of the international drug rings that are now targeting Phuket Airport as a way of smuggling drugs into Thailand,” she said.

Ms Ratchanee, who sat through a police press conference at 10pm last night with her head covered by a denim jacket, denied any knowledge of the drugs.

“I got the luggage from a friend. I first met him about six months ago. My luggage was the small bag [placed] inside the big one. The big one had the ya ice hidden in the lining,” she said.

“My friend asked me to bring it to give to one of his friends in Thailand,” she added.

Ms Ratchanee explained that after she and her new friend had known each other for a while, he asked her to travel out of Thailand.

“He bought me a round-trip ticket,” she said.

“Before I came back to Thailand, he took my small bag and put in his big one. He asked me to bring his clothes back to Thailand.

“I had no idea what was in the luggage until I was arrested at the airport,” Ms Ratchanee said.

Ms Ratchanee was handed to Tah Chat Chai Police to be charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell and with smuggling the drug into the country.

Tah Chat Chai Police were not convinced by Ms Ratchanee’s story.

“Her statement is suspicious. We believe she has conducted smuggling many times already.

"Police will have her take a drug test as part of the investigation,” one officer said.

Phuket NEWS: Phuket airport lands record meth bust

[Neo]

The suspect was behaving suspiciously while officers were checking her bag with an x-ray machine.

No shit! Walking through with 3.2 kgs of meth you'd sweating and twitching like an epileptic pig.

[natalie8]

How the hell did she manage to get it out of Doha???? Are the customs officers asleep on the job there? Oh ya, it's Ramadan.

[Agent_Smith]

At what point does the airport police hand over the contraband to their better armed brethren for disbursement?

And what is their cut?

[SiLeakHunt]

Probably better for her to get nicked in Thailand than Malaysia (all be it marginally). Hope she doesn't snore !

Cheers

[BobR]

How the hell did she manage to get it out of Doha???? Are the customs officers asleep on the job there? Oh ya, it's Ramadan.

Probably not a coincidence; Ramadan there and the long weekend for the Royal Birthday here, someone probably thought this would be a good time to try it.

As for getting caught in Doha or here, that's a beggars choice. A swift lethal injection sounds very preferable to years of hunger, disease and abuse in a Thai prison.

[Thormaturge]

“The suspect was behaving suspiciously while officers were checking her bag with an x-ray machine.

Officers saw something odd in the scan and searched her luggage. They found the ya ice hidden the bag’s lining,” Ms Montira explained.

This is the real news story.

The X-ray scanners actually work.

[FarangRed]

The customs guys showing off just a bunch of dick heads really

Tell me why is it these mules are the only ones who get pinched, the customs department never seem to follow the bag and the mule to its final destination, that has been the case in every bust this year.

I wonder if they are afraid of where or who the trail might lead them to. Why are there no sniffer dogs [as agogohome stated] searching the bags? Do they not want to catch all the scum who bring this death to Phuket?

[Agent_Smith]

I wonder if they are afraid of where or who the trail might lead them to.

Afraid, doubtful. The only thing they are afraid of is not getting a fair cut of the proceeds, IMO.