Four Chinese Nationals Arrested in Major Drug Bust at Suvarnabhumi Airport

National —

At 11:30 AM on August 16th, 2024, the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau held a press conference to announce the arrest of four Chinese nationals at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The suspects were caught attempting to smuggle 14 kilograms of heroin hidden in their luggage, destined for Hong Kong.

Pol. Lit. Gen. Panurat Lakboon, the Secretary-General of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), revealed that the arrest resulted from a coordinated investigation between Thai authorities and Hong Kong’s narcotics police.

The four suspects, including two drug couriers and two handlers, were tracked after arriving in Bangkok on August 11th. They stayed in hotels in Huai Khwang and Ramkhamhaeng, Bangkok before attempting to smuggle the drugs.

On the night of August 14th, the suspects were observed picking up suspicious luggage from a car near their hotel in Huai Khwang. The following day, they were seen heading to Suvarnabhumi Airport, where they all entered a restroom together, raising suspicions of drug handover.

Upon inspection, officers found 14 kilograms of heroin hidden inside snack boxes in a suitcase. All four suspects were arrested on the spot by the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF).

Pol. Lit. Gen. Panurat emphasized the growing threat of transnational drug trafficking networks using Thailand as a transit hub to third countries. To combat this, the ONCB has established the AITF and the Seaport Interdiction Task Force (SITF) to intercept drugs before they can be smuggled out of the country.

He noted that there have been several similar attempts by Chinese-Hong Kong networks to smuggle heroin from Thailand to Hong Kong.

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Kittisak Phalaharn
Kittisak has a passion for outgoings no matter how tough it will be, he will travel with an adventurous style. As for his interests in fantasy, detective genres in novels and sports science books are parts of his soul. He works for Pattaya News as the latest writer.