3 Mongolians arrested in Bangkok for smuggling crystal meth using capacitors
Police arrested three Mongolian nationals at a hotel in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area for smuggling crystal methamphetamine from Thailand to their home country by concealing the drugs inside electronic components known as capacitors.
Officers from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau began the investigation after discovering a suspicious parcel at a logistics company office on New Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok on January 9. The parcel was seized for inspection, and officers later found approximately 150 grammes of crystal meth hidden inside.
Investigators said the drugs were concealed inside capacitors, electronic devices commonly found in household appliances and electrical equipment. Capacitors are normally used to store and release electrical energy and help regulate power supply.
In this case, however, the internal components were removed and replaced with crystal meth powder, allowing the drugs to be hidden in plain sight.
According to the delivery information on the parcel, the shipment was intended for Mongolia. This prompted officers to expand the investigation to identify those responsible for sending the package.
Further inquiries led police to identify the suspected sender as a 46 year old Mongolian man. Officers discovered that he used another person’s passport to send the parcel and frequently changed accommodation in an apparent attempt to avoid arrest.
On Monday, February 2, police tracked the suspect to a hotel in Soi Sukhumvit 36, where he was staying with two other Mongolian nationals. A search of the hotel room uncovered an additional 244 grammes of crystal meth, along with electronic devices and spare components believed to be used to conceal the drugs for smuggling.
All three Mongolian nationals were arrested and taken into custody. Police said the suspects remain under interrogation as officers work to determine whether other individuals or networks were involved in the operation.
The three suspects were initially charged under Section 145 of Thailand’s Narcotics Act for producing, importing, exporting, distributing, or possessing Category 1 narcotics. The offence carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 1.5 million baht.
The case is the latest in a series of international drug-smuggling arrests in Thailand. In November last year, police arrested five Vietnamese nationals at condominiums in Bangkok and Samut Prakan for allegedly trafficking heroin destined for Australia.
In another major bust in July, officers seized more than 10 million methamphetamine pills, commonly known as Yaba, hidden inside speaker boxes.
Thai authorities also previously uncovered narcotics concealed in everyday items such as coffee and tea packages, highlighting increasingly sophisticated methods used by smugglers to transport illegal drugs across borders.
Police said investigations into the Mongolian suspects’ network are ongoing, and further charges may follow as the case develops.
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