Thread: Phuket: Brit arrested - cocaine in passport

Bangkok Post 3 May 2024

PHUKET: A Briton was arrested after a small amount of cocaine was found inside his passport at Phuket airport on Thursday.

Police said on Friday that immigration officers arrested Jamie Louis Swain, 29, after discovering a sachet containing 0.42 grammes of cocaine inside his passport at the inbound passenger terminal around 7pm.

The arrest was made after an immigration officer on duty checked his passport at an immigration counter. Upon opening the passport, the officer found a plastic sachet containing suspected powder inside. The man appeared to be shocked.

The suspected item was taken for testing, and the results confirmed it was cocaine, a category 2 narcotic drug.

Mr Swain was handed over to Sakhu police station for further legal action.

Pic from Daily News

The Mail UK version:

British tourist faces up to 20 years in Thai prison after 'he is caught with a bag of cocaine hidden in his PASSPORT by immigration staff'



A British tourist is facing up to 20 years in a Thai prison after he was allegedly caught with a bag of cocaine hidden in his passport by immigration staff.

Jamie Louis Swain, 29, from Enfield, north London, arrived in Phuket, Thailand on an Etihad Airways flight on Thursday night.

When he handed his passport to an immigration officer, the cop noticed a small plastic bag with white powder inside when flicking through the document to find an empty page to place the visa stamp.

Officers said that Swain reacted with surprise, before he started swearing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scanning his luggage.

He was arrested at Phuket International Airport, where police tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine.


When he handed his passport to an immigration officer, the cop noticed a small plastic bag (pictured) with white powder inside when flicking through the document to find an empty page to place the visa stamp

He is, the heat and general feeling of faded colonial decay must be getting to him.

I *think* it's up to five years and/or Bt100K, and that allows for much more than this as "possession.

If he can raise the money, they'll probably deport and blacklist him.

What a silly boy.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

...the heat and decay...

Probably just a wee accident after one too many kilimanjaros.

I hope they just deport and blacklist him. This lad is too stupid for international travel.

Jamie Vardy's looked happier.


Hardly importing it to sell. Not even half a gram. Forgot it was there? What a fookin' turnip.

Actually handing it to the io in his passport.

I'd say it was a set up, but if it was surely details would not have been released.

Jamie Vardy would be fine with King Power on his side.

^had to Google who Jamie Vardy was. This guy does look similar to Vardy but Vardy has a better hairstyle.

Though TBF, this guy looks like he has good abs.

Still, he's a candidate for the Darwin award though. Putting the container of coc*ine in one's passport, forgetting about it, then handing both over to the IO?! Face palm moment....

About as bad as the American tourist who went to Turks & Caicos, then they found ammunition in his bag. He's now detained in T&C, on bail but awaiting trial.

American tourist facing prison in Turks and Caicos over ammunition says he's soaking up FaceTime with his kids back home - CBS News

Wonder why the coke was not spotted at UK airport. ? Slackers !

Perhaps the loose bag was floating around in his bag and got stuck/caught up in his passport.

Originally Posted by Edmond

Jamie Vardy's looked happier.


Hardly importing it to sell. Not even half a gram. Forgot it was there? What a fookin' turnip.

Passport and empty coke bag in same pocket probably.

Maybe my OCD but I check I've got the right passport about 300 times before I get to the desk and I don't even do drugs.

Originally Posted by cyrille

I'd say it was a set up

Sounds like it to me. I'm wondering who he pissed off enough to do it.

What makes you think it’s a set up?

There really are some people this stupid.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Perhaps the loose bag was floating around in his bag and got stuck/caught up in his passport.

Originally Posted by armstrong

Passport and empty coke bag in same pocket probably.

Maybe my OCD but I check I've got the right passport about 300 times before I get to the desk and I don't even do drugs.

This makes the most sense.

Tiny bit left over in his pocket from his going away sesh. stuck his passy in his jeans pocket coming up to immi and it got lodged in there.

Badabingbadaboom, charged with importation.

I trust Boris Johnson doesn't do cocaine. He can be as stupid as this sad looking young man.

Originally Posted by armstrong

Passport and empty coke bag in same pocket probably.

Maybe my OCD but I check I've got the right passport about 300 times before I get to the desk and I don't even do drugs.

You should

Mum's stark warning to Brit tourists after son held in Thailand on drugs charges

The mother of a man held at a Thai airport after a bag of cocaine was found in his passport has issued a stark warning to anyone travelling to Thailand.


Last year Jamie Louis Swain, then 29, from Stevenage, planned a trip to Thailand with his brother in May but what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday turned into a nightmare for Jamie and his family. When the brothers landed at Phuket International Airport Jamie was pulled aside when an immigration officer noticed a small plastic bag with white powder in his passport.

Officers said that Jamie started swearing and shaking, which prompted authorities to conduct further checks. He was arrested after officials scanned his luggage and tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine.

He was said to be facing up to 20 years in jail under Thailand's Narcotics Act, but after a court hearing in July he was deported back to the UK. He avoided a stint behind bars but was ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 baht (£1,137).

Michelle Swain, 57, says her family went through hell when they received a call from her son saying he had arrived at Phuket island for his much-anticipated holiday only to be arrested at immigration.


Speaking to MailOnline, Ms Swain has detailed the traumatic incident, alleging that it was a 'set up'. She said: "People say it's because I'm his mum I don't believe it, but to get through two airports and the fact it's happened to other people, I just feel that it was a set up.


"I can't help that, I know I'm his mum, and I'm not silly I know they're all doing this and it all goes on, I'm not naive I've got three boys. But I just feel like to get through two airports and then suddenly this bag appears, and he'd had his passport out all that time, I just find it very strange."

She said her son was then held in a 'holding cell' for around two days before being let out on bail. She had flown out to Phuket on the same night he had been detained, and says the 'awful' experience had her worried he would be jailed in a foreign jail.


The mother-of-three said: "He said there was no water, no food, nothing. He was in there about two days then he got bail. It wasn't a high bail amount. He then had to stay there [in Phuket] for three months at least, they wouldn't let him go. He had a court date at the end of July and he got fined. "

Ms Swain explained how he eventually got deported and flew home at the beginning of August. She was initially warned by solicitors he could face up to a year behind bars, but he was released on bail for the equivalent of £250, and was fined just over £1,000.


Ms Swain had a stark warning for other Brit tourists heading to Thailand. She said while the country and the people are 'beautiful' and 'friendly', travellers 'should be careful'. She said: 'It was just meant to be a nice holiday. It could happen to any young boys going out there. There's nothing you can do, you can be careful, but if that happens there's nothing you can do about it."


She added: "It is frightening for the youngsters, it's happening all the time out there. It was just an awful experience, I wouldn't want to put anyone ever through that. I would never wish it on anyone. The worry alone was terrible. It's a shame he had to go through that really, it can ruin people's lives. I don't think they see the damage it can do to young boys' lives."

Mum'''s stark warning to Brit tourists after son held in Thailand on drugs charges - The Mirror

50k and off you go is a good result.

Particularly if he got some lively pre-sentencing mongering in while on bail. He looks like the kind of lad that may be into that.

Overnight in a holding cell, then bail before receiving a fine. Lucky sod. Yet mom’s carrying on for the book deal like he was the next member in the Bangkok Hilton.

Originally Posted by katie23

Though TBF, this guy looks like he has good abs.

katies livin' dangerously and moistening up !! bonnie and clyde style.

It could happen to any young boys going out there.

he's 29 for gods sake. hardly a young boy.