Thai Woman Arrested with 6kg of Smuggled Cocaine at Cambodian Border
A 30-year-old Thai woman was arrested on Tuesday morning while re-entering Thailand from Cambodia through the Aranyaprathet immigration checkpoint. Authorities seized 6 kilograms of smuggled cocaine hidden in her luggage, marking the largest drug-related arrest at this checkpoint to date.
Chamaiporn Singthong was flagged by facial recognition technology, which identified her as a suspect in a previous drug case, according to Pol Col Naphatpong Suphaporn, superintendent of the Sa Kaeo provincial immigration office.
During the search, officers discovered 656 small packages of cocaine concealed inside four large rag dolls in her suitcase. The total haul, valued at approximately 16 million baht, was reportedly destined for Bangkok’s entertainment venues, where it would have been sold for 2,500 baht per gram.
Ms. Chamaiporn admitted to being paid 100,000 baht by her Nigerian husband to smuggle the drugs. She had traveled from Qatar to Phnom Penh by air, then used public transport to Poipet before crossing the border into Thailand. She also disclosed that two other individuals, including her husband, were involved in the smuggling operation.
This arrest follows the recent detention of 13 individuals in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong district over the weekend for selling cocaine along Sukhumvit Road. Eleven of the suspects were from African countries, including Nigeria, while two were Thai nationals.
The case has been handed over to the Narcotics Board Region 2 for prosecution, with further investigations underway to dismantle the broader smuggling network.