Thai Authorities Seize 5.36kg of Cocaine, Unveil Transnational Crime Network Involving West African Suspects

National—

On March 11th, 2024, Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat Lakboon, the Secretary-General of the Office of the Thai Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), and relevant agencies held a press conference after a crackdown on transnational crime networks.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat, on March 6th, 2024, the Suvarnabhumi Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF) seized international parcels containing 5,360 grams of cocaine stashed inside 5 sets of steel clothes racks from the USA.

Previously, ONCB had launched a search operation together with 200 officers in the Nana area, Bangkok, to deter and prevent narcotic crimes on February 21st.

After the seizure, ONCB investigated further and tracked down three West African suspects who were allegedly involved in distributing illicit substances in the Nana area, Sukhumvit, Bangkok, according to Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat. The identities of the suspects were withheld by the ONCB.

The suspects had been allegedly importing illicit substances via international parcel delivery since 2020. They reportedly linked to four other cases of drug smuggling, leading to an arrest of eight other suspects with 12.7 kilograms of cocaine and 6,613 units of ecstasy, said Pol. Lt. Gen. Panurat.

In 2023, ONCB was able to capture 49 individuals from 41 cases, with 20 West African suspects linked to transnational crime networks from 20 cases with more than 35.959 kilograms of cocaine and 8.97 kilograms of heroin, according to the ONCB.