Joint operation: Foreign smugglers caught at Koh Samui Airport
A group of foreign smugglers was caught red-handed at Koh Samui Airport, attempting to smuggle a staggering 144 kilogrammes of cannabis to London and Singapore.
The five suspects were apprehended alongside seven suitcases stuffed with vacuum-sealed cannabis flower buds, just moments before boarding their flights.
The bust took place at 6pm yesterday, March 12, when Bo Phut Police, customs officers, and airport security intercepted the suspects at the X-ray checkpoint.
Suspicious packages were detected inside their luggage, prompting an immediate search that uncovered the illicit cargo.
According to Police Colonel Den Duang Thongsrisuk, Superintendent of Bo Phut Police Station, the suspects had carefully planned the operation.
The group was set to fly from Koh Samui to Singapore, with four of them scheduled to continue onward to London.
The suspects have been identified as:
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Siemaszkiewicz and McMahon – Both were staying at the Nature Samui Hotel, where they received four suitcases from a Thai accomplice. The bags contained 85.34 kg of cannabis, allegedly destined for London. They were promised a fee to clear their debts in the UK if the operation succeeded.
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Adefila and Fakuade – Each woman was handed one suitcase packed with 35.8 kg of cannabis to be transported to London. They were set to receive £2,000 (around 87,000 baht) each for completing the job.
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Chin – The only suspect travelling to Singapore, he was found carrying 22.8 kg of cannabis in a vacuum-sealed suitcase. If the transport was successful, he was to receive a 6,000 ringgit (around 45,000 baht) fee.
Police confirmed that a Thai man, whose identity remains undisclosed, had provided the suitcases to the suspects before their departure.
Bo Phut Police and Koh Samui Customs officers have seized all evidence and pressed charges against the group under Section 242 of the Customs Act 2017, in conjunction with Sections 166, 167, and 252.
The suspects face charges of attempted illegal exportation, a serious offence that could lead to heavy penalties, reported MGR Online.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to trace the Thai supplier and any potential links to a larger trafficking network. This high-profile bust underscores Thailand’s strict drug laws and serves as a stark warning to traffickers attempting to exploit the country’s relaxed cannabis policies for illegal exports.
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