Clean getaway foiled: Man ‘purifies’ methamphetamine pills smuggling attempt into Thailand

Customs officials in Nong Khai apprehended a man who was smuggling nearly 60,000 methamphetamine pills into Thailand, cleverly hidden inside an air purifier. The suspect claimed to be unaware of the illicit contents, stating he was merely hired to transport the goods from Laos to Udon Thani province in Thailand.

The arrest took place at the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai. The customs team, led by Pattanapong Tantivatugunchai, Head of Customs Service 1, together with the Nong Khai Immigration Police, inspected people entering Thailand.

They worked in line with the policy of Nanthita Sirikut, Acting Director-General of the Customs Department, and Kittichalak Srinuchatsat, Deputy Director-General.

The team managed to apprehend two individuals, Chonkan Prasawat and Samai Varin-in, as they attempted to move an air purifier through the checkpoint.

Upon a detailed inspection, officials discovered approximately 58,000 methamphetamine pills concealed within the device. The detained individuals claimed they were hired drivers, and paid 1,500 baht to transport the goods from Laos to an individual in Udon Thani, Thailand. They maintained that they were unaware of the illicit contents, reported KhaoSod.

Upon discovering the hidden pills, the customs officials conducted a detailed examination using X-ray machines, which revealed more suspicious objects.

The air purifier was found to contain methamphetamine pills, leading the officers to arrest the suspects and hand them over, along with the evidence, to the Nong Khai Police for further investigation. Law enforcement authorities are now working to expand the investigation and track down any other individuals involved in this drug trafficking operation.

In a recent police operation in Bangkok’s Khlong Sam Wa district, three drug traffickers were apprehended. The operation resulted in the confiscation of a substantial quantity of drugs, including 503,005 methamphetamine pills and 12 kilogrammes of crystal meth. It was revealed that these individuals had a history of involvement in prior drug-related incidents. Read more HERE.

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