Two Thais and a Nigerian have been arrested after packages containing crystal methamphetamine were found hidden in mattresses ready for shipment to Hong Kong.
Officials from the Seaport Interdiction Task Force (SITF) arrested Kornwik Jirabutr, 27, at a shipping company in Navamin area of Bangkok’s Bung Kum district on Thursday.
They found 10 kilogrammes of crystal meth hidden in folding mattresses on a pickup truck and intended for shipping to Hong Kong.
Two alleged accomplices, a Thai woman and a Nigerian man, were later arrested at a rented house in Bang Pahan district of Ayutthaya. Similar mattresses and packaging equipment were seized from the house as evidence.
The pair were identified as Natcharee Phenglam, 28, and Christian Chibuike Emmauel, 31, by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board Facebook page on Friday.
The SITF comprises officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Narcotics Suppression Bureau and other agencies.
During questioning, the Nigerian suspect allegedly confessed the drugs had been smuggled from Laos. (continues below)
The three suspects are posed by police with the pickup truck carrying folding mattreses stuffed with crystal methamphetamine, at a shipping firm in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: @ONCB.TH Facebook page)
ONCB secretary-general Wichai Chaimongkhon said the arrests followed the recent seizure of 314 kilogrammes of heroin at Laem Chabang port. The heroin was hidden in containers of paint and destined for a third country.
Investigators learned that a man known as Mr Ek, identified as Keng On-iem, 38, was behind the smuggling of the drugs, Mr Wichai said.
Mr Ek was wanted on an arrest warrant for the smuggling of 75 kilogrammes of heroin to Taiwan on Aug 20 last year. He remained at large and had reportedly fled into hiding in Laos, the ONCB chief said.
The seized heroin was later found to be destined for Australia.
The ONCB would invite representatives from Laos and Australia to attend a video conference to discuss cooperation in arresting those involved in transnational drug networks, Mr Wichai said.
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The three suspects are posed by police with the pickup truck carrying folding mattreses stuffed with crystal methamphetamine, at a shipping firm in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: @ONCB.TH Facebook page)
