Officers from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) arrested two foreign nationals— a British man and a Dutch man— on drug trafficking charges at a condominium in Bangkok on November 5. The suspects were found in possession of 210 grams of ecstasy (MDMA) and over 37 grams of cannabis.
During a press conference held on November 6, ONCB officials provided details about the arrests, though the identities of the suspects were not disclosed. The investigation began with the interception of a suspicious parcel shipped from the UK to Thailand. Upon inspecting the parcel, authorities discovered 210 grams of ecstasy. Surveillance was then conducted on the recipients of the package, leading officers to identify the two foreign nationals who had arranged to collect it.
The two men lived in a condominium in the Sathu Pradit area of Bangkok, where ONCB officers executed a raid on November 5. Although no drugs were found at the condo, the suspects admitted to storing the drugs at a rented house in Khlong Toei and another condominium in Phra Kanong.
At the rented house in Khlong Toei, officers uncovered 30 kilograms of cannabis, packed in vacuum-sealed bags and prepared for shipment. They also found documents indicating the suspects’ plan to smuggle the cannabis to the UK, falsely labeling it as “pillows.” Additionally, about 1.4 kilograms of cannabis glandular trichomes were discovered. These trichomes, which contain high concentrations of cannabinoids, are sought after for their potent psychoactive and medicinal properties.
Further searches at the condominium in Phra Kanong led to the discovery of another 6 kilograms of cannabis, also packed for shipment. ONCB officials noted that British law enforcement has recently intercepted large quantities of cannabis smuggled from Thailand, prompting enhanced cooperation between Thai and British authorities to combat such trafficking.
It is believed that trafficking groups often enter Thailand as tourists, obtaining cannabis from local dealers for smuggling back to their home countries. In some cases, they carry the drugs with them when they travel, while in other instances, they ship the narcotics internationally via parcels.
photo Matichon
