Thai Customs officials have seized 1.6 tonnes of dried cannabis buds hidden inside two export containers at Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri, destined for the Netherlands.

The cannabis was concealed among shipments declared as blankets and duvet covers. Customs said the dried buds had an estimated value of 16 million baht.

The containers were examined on Monday 20 July 2026, in an operation involving Customs officials, representatives of the shipping line and the port authority. The department announced the seizure on Tuesday.

Cannabis found among declared bedding

The exporter had declared the cargo as 626 packages of blankets and duvet covers, with a combined declared weight of 32,390 kilogrammes, according to Customs.

A detailed inspection found dried cannabis buds concealed among those goods. Customs officers seized the cannabis and all related items as evidence.

Investigators are now widening their inquiry to identify other people involved in the suspected smuggling network and to take legal action against every party connected with the export attempt.

Possible customs and cannabis charges

The Customs Department said the exporter would face charges for making a false customs declaration under the Customs Act.

The case could also involve breaches of the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicine Wisdom Act and a 2025 Ministry of Public Health announcement that designated cannabis as a controlled herb.

No further details about the exporter or other suspects were released in the announcement.

What foreign businesses should note

For foreign-owned businesses, exporters and freight operators in Thailand, the case underlines the importance of ensuring that customs declarations accurately reflect the goods loaded into containers.

Cargo sent overseas must also meet Thai export requirements as well as the import rules of the destination country. Labelling a shipment as ordinary household goods does not remove the requirement to declare controlled products, and Customs can inspect containers at major ports including Laem Chabang.

The seizure comes amid continued scrutiny of cannabis controls in Thailand, particularly where products are transported commercially or sent abroad. Visitors and expatriates should be aware that rules governing cannabis within Thailand do not mean cannabis can be freely exported or carried across international borders.

Picture courtesy of Bangkokpost

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23 July 2026

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Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

Edited July 22Jul 22 by SiSePuede419
Weak

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

No further details about the exporter or other suspects were released in the announcement.

Why not released?? Thais involved but must be anonymus because of their status??? Hardly to believe that it is done by a foreign owned business in Thailand, but of course there is a witch hunt going on for foreign owned businesses at this moment

A whisker over the amount permitted for personal use. Close but no cigar spliff.

Curious would like to know how much they paid for 1.6 tons

3 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

3 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

us Skippy's were obviously spoiled with the Thai sticks that were arriving by boat... it was certainly nothing low quality about any of them

4 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

you clearly have no clue... (no puedes)

you clearly have no clue

It's always nice to hear from someone stuck in the 70s.

Where's the disco dancing at? 😃

Edited July 23Jul 23 by SiSePuede419
Format

Amsterdam is famous for pot shops still, right? Got to get their supply from somewhere, unless all homegrown.

hard to tell what if any policy current for pot here in Thailand, let alone for export... but if legal to grow here (with proper permits/payoffs) and want to ship to another country where legal, then is the only crime trying to hide the shipment? Force of habit?

The exporter should fire the guy who was supposed to grease the wheels but either forgot or did not pay the agreed amount.

26 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Amsterdam is famous for pot shops still, right? Got to get their supply from somewhere, unless all homegrown.

hard to tell what if any policy current for pot here in Thailand, let alone for export... but if legal to grow here (with proper permits/payoffs) and want to ship to another country where legal, then is the only crime trying to hide the shipment? Force of habit?

I bought a "brick" of Thai sticks in Udon in 1972. 20 sticks for 20 baht. It was 1st class golden sinsemilla.

I've never heard about "Schwag", and certainly not in this modern day and age. The cannabis industry is "highly" competitive these days. Quality and potency are what sells.

"Schwag" will either be composted and recycled as natural fertilizer or put through an extraction process to harvest any useful products, eg. THC, CBD, oil, etc.

4 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

of course there is a witch hunt going on for foreign owned businesses at this moment

No, there is not. There may be a witch hunt going on for illegal foreign-owned businesses, though...you're not trying to justify those with your incessant Thai-bashing attempts, are you?

1 hour ago, Emdog said:

Amsterdam is famous for pot shops still, right? Got to get their supply from somewhere, unless all homegrown.

hard to tell what if any policy current for pot here in Thailand, let alone for export... but if legal to grow here (with proper permits/payoffs) and want to ship to another country where legal, then is the only crime trying to hide the shipment? Force of habit?

You're conveniently omitting to mention the crime of exporting cannabis without a licence. Force of habit? I'm pretty sure you'll find that attempting to import tonnes of declared cannabis into the Netherlands is illegal, also.

5 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

Looking at the pic looks like pretty good bud to me. BTW 1971 was the era of the Buddha Stick which most definitely wasn't "low quality weed". Admittedly though the opening up of the market here saw an end to the mediocre compressed rubbish.

1 hour ago, Emdog said:

hard to tell what if any policy current for pot here in Thailand

No, it's not, the policy regarding cannabis in Thailand has been started, very clearly, many times, it's illegal except for medicinal use and the export of the stuff requires official commercial export licenses and specific government permits.

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

626 packages of blankets and duvet covers

Keep an eye on LAZADA/SHOPEE for specials on blankets and duvet covers.

23 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No, there is not. There may be a witch hunt going on for illegal foreign-owned businesses, though...you're not trying to justify those with your incessant Thai-bashing attempts, are you?

How many illegal Thai businesses are there? And do you hear anything of that?

1.6 tonnes of Cannabis bound for Netherlands seized at port

Tons? Gawd! That's they way to go. If you're going to risk a long stint in prison, ditch the suitcase and go with 1.6 TONS.

3 minutes ago, connda said:

1.6 tonnes of Cannabis bound for Netherlands seized at port

Tons? Gawd! That's they way to go. If you're going to risk a long stint in prison, ditch the suitcase and go with 1.6 TONS.

Back in the day it used to be 24 gallon drums full of bud welded to the hulls of cargo ships.

I kind of money that must be behind an operation like this would lead one to believe that there might be some very high ranking Thai officials or police involved in the operation.

I could be wrong, it could certainly be a foreign gang but it's obviously organized crime. Which makes one wonder if it's possible to even get at the top dogs involved in the operation?

An inflammatory personal attack has been removed

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I kind of money that must be behind an operation like this would lead one to believe that there might be some very high ranking Thai officials or police involved in the operation.

I could be wrong, it could certainly be a foreign gang but it's obviously organized crime. Which makes one wonder if it's possible to even get at the top dogs involved in the operation?

Hehe, "organised" crime! Sure would get a sweet sleep with one of those duvets! What a waste of resources. Defund the Narcotics Squad. Let the police concentrate of crimes of violence!

13 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Did we get a timeline mix-up from 1971?

Who wants Schwag (low quality weed) in 2026? 😄

Low quality stoners.

Where's my prize?

13 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Why not released?? Thais involved but must be anonymus because of their status??? Hardly to believe that it is done by a foreign owned business in Thailand, but of course there is a witch hunt going on for foreign owned businesses at this moment

Pay attention. The "witch hunt" is on for ILLEGAL activities by ILLEGAL Thai proxy foreign-owned businesses.

19 hours ago, Grandpa Cool said:

I bought a "brick" of Thai sticks in Udon in 1972. 20 sticks for 20 baht. It was 1st class golden sinsemilla.

Sin semilla is Spanish for "without seeds."

On 7/23/2026 at 9:33 AM, Emdog said:

Amsterdam is famous for pot shops still, right? Got to get their supply from somewhere, unless all homegrown.

hard to tell what if any policy current for pot here in Thailand, let alone for export... but if legal to grow here (with proper permits/payoffs) and want to ship to another country where legal, then is the only crime trying to hide the shipment? Force of habit?

sure, in the old days importing from Tland in '70's-80's (Thai Stick) but nowadays in Holland they grow many indoors and some outdoors. so importing at a certain cost does not sell well... i also don't understand for who this was meant to be! but certainly not for the Dutch market!