Australian and Thai transnational drug smugglers drop the ball

PHOTO: The Nation

How much heroin can you smuggle in eight (car) shock absorbers? Apparently close to 4 kilograms.

A joint Thai-Australian drug suppression operation called Taskforce Storm has yielded results and arrested two transnational heroin smugglers.

Police identified the two as 38 year old Canadian Stephens Blair and 27 year old Thai Pahon Sivasirikaroon. The pair were apprehended when they both showed up to Suvarnabhumi airport to pick up a returned parcel comprised of eight shock absorbers – and the 3,740 gram of heroin hidden inside.

Police then raided two apartments in Bangkok’s Phayathai and Rama 9, as well as a house in Prawet district. During the raids, police seized one kilogram of compressed marijuana, one gram of cocaine, two ecstasy pills, a Toyota Camry, a Benz E300 Coupe, a Kawasaki Z1000 motorcycle, and AP Royal Oak wristwatch, a Rolex Oyster S GMT wrist watch and 2.5 million baht in cash. Police told reporters the items seized were worth over 7.5 million baht.

The Office of the Narcotics Control Board say the drugs were being smuggled from the Golden Triangle into Thailand before heading to Australia or Canada for sale.

The spokesperson also said this was just a small quantity of drugs in the big pictures as it was part of an “army ant delivery system”.

Authorities believe they have now been able to identify all suspected members of the drug gang and are currently gathering evidence to arrest them.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post