South African tourist 'caught with 17.5kg of heroin hidden in coffee bags' at airport in Thailand
A South African tourist was arrested with 17.5kg of heroin at an airport in Thailand.
The suspect was allegedly trying to smuggle the drugs through Suvarnabhumi International Airport near Bangkok when he was screened by airport officers on July 9.
They discovered suspicious items in his bag during X-ray scans, before escorting him from the boarding gate for a search.
Inside his backpack, officers found coffee bags, green tea packets and dietary supplements concealing plastic bags filled with a white powder.
The substance reportedly tested positive for heroin, with an estimated street value of more than 7.3 million baht.
Officials said the man was identified as a high-risk passenger travelling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, transiting through Thailand before continuing to Ethiopia and Madagascar.
He was detained and handed over to investigators to face charges under Thailand's Customs Act and Narcotics Code for allegedly attempting to import a Category 1 narcotic without permission.
Authorities said a probe was underway to identify his accomplices in Thailand and overseas.
Phantong Loykulnanta, director-general of the Customs Department, said the arrest showed the success of the department's risk analysis and cooperation with other agencies.
He added: 'We remain committed to preventing Thailand from being used as a transit route for international drug trafficking and protecting society from the drug threat.'
