Filipina Arrested At Suvarnabhumi With 3.2kg Of Cocaine

[webfact]

Thai police charge Philippines woman over cocaine haul

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thai police said Wednesday they had arrested a Filipina at Bangkok's main airport for trafficking cocaine worth 247,000 dollars.

Rivera Maria Elenita, 40, was detained at Suvarnabhumi Airport late Monday after she arrived from Lima, Peru on an Emirates airline flight, according to a statement from the Narcotics Suppression Police.

Officers acting on a tip-off found 3.2 kilograms (7.0 pounds) of cocaine in two plastic bags, hidden in special compartments of her luggage.

Elenita told police she had been hired by a Western African drug gang in Bangkok to smuggle the cocaine for Thai clients, they said.

"She said she was paid some 1,000 dollars and would get more money when she delivered the drugs to a gang member," the police added.

The street value of the confiscated cocaine was estimated at 8.0 million baht (247,000 dollars).

Drugs trafficking officially carries the death penalty in Thailand although executions are rare.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-03-24

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Moonrakers]

She's basically thrown her life away for 1,000 dollars. She must be very stupid or very desperate.

[Lumumba]

Another of the gang was just busted down south with 15Kg of heroin hidden in frames.

This just still breaking in Thai news links.

www.innnews.co.th

[ding]

When will these people learn?

[TAWP]

Most are desperate, yes.

Those are the ones the gangs prey on, as they are cheapest...

[manarak]

Some questions here: can law enforcement specialists here tell what % of smuggled drugs travel by air?

What % of the drugs transports by air are actually intercepted?

(Thai police acted on a tip-off)

The last question would be why the woman was not turned by the police to get her clients in flagranti?

Edited March 24, 2010 by manarak

[Asianrider]

Some questions here: can law enforcement specialists here tell what % of smuggled drugs travel by air?

What % of the drugs transports by air are actually intercepted?

(Thai police acted on a tip-off)

The last question would be why the woman was not turned by the police to get her clients in flagranti?

Sad indeed giving up many years in jail for a thousand bucks, she will be an old lady when she finally returns home.

[Tokay]

While it's easy to say she tossed her life away, know that it's not uncommon for gangs / mafia, especially Asian and African, to force these young girls to do this. I have no idea her case, but I've read about many cases where they threaten to kill their famlies and so on. Very sad stuff.

The sad part is, every government knows about this, and the prisons around the world are full of poor women (and stupid ones) who have been caught doing this.

The fact that "cops were tipped off" tells me they used her to take the fall so that many others carrying drugs would pass without fail. That is the typical decoy system used, and the cops are too freakin stupid to ever catch on. They probably let millions of dollars worth just slip through as while they were looking for this desperate Filipina, who will now spend the rest of her life in prison, while the African gang she did this for will continue to gather off Soi 3 and sell their drugs without problems, and usually on overstay and here illegally. It's the same story with this type of African in every country. I'm not sure why the police here do not do sweeps of that area, as they do in Hong Kong, and deport those who are here illegally, as you can count on them being up to no good.

[Lumumba]

Seems quite a fair amount of mind numbing substances are consumed in this country. From OTC drugs to very flammable brain roasting substances.

These mules and their bosses dont appear to be that smart either and sometimes I seriously doubt the sincerity of the law enforcements to put an end to it as it easily passes through several borders.

[gotlost]

Just go down to Soi 6 and round up the usual suspects.

[AnthonyR1]

i'm always shocked to hear that people are still smuggling drugs (or trying to) on their person or in their luggage. what a risk! more so in asia. they all know that their lives are OVER if they get pinched. a death sentence may be better compared to 10, 20 or 30 years in an asian prison.

wow!

[Acharn]

Some questions here: can law enforcement specialists here tell what % of smuggled drugs travel by air?

What % of the drugs transports by air are actually intercepted?

(Thai police acted on a tip-off)

The last question would be why the woman was not turned by the police to get her clients in flagranti?

I don't think it's possible to answer the first two questions. To do so you would have to know how much total traffic there really is. I don't think they know that. I'm quite sure the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration doesn't know that in the States.

As to your last point, there are a number of possible answers. A cynic would probably say the police don't want to arrest the kingpins, because they're getting paid large amounts of protection money. A really hard-core cynic would say it's because the kingpins are already known and are high ranking government officials. A slightly less cynical person might point out that there would be a risk that their prisoner might escape if they tried playing complicated games, and there is no guarantee her contact in Bangkok would be caught with evidence that would convict him/her. They have one person they can arrest, try, and convict; it's better not to be greedy.

[wileycoyote]

Dangerous game !

[chimsa]

For once, I feel very sorry for that desperate lady and hope she gets leniancy. She was being used.

Why did the police just not track her to the bastards who used her and are the REAL criminals?

Edited March 24, 2010 by chimsa

[YanTree]

All you guys saying she is desperate or stupid have no idea how much gets through. Had she not been ratted out she likely doesn't get busted. I'll bet 90%+ of shipments make it through undetected and 75%+ of people busted just lose the drugs and a bribe to the cops.

I won't be running coke anytime soon but I can easily see the risk/reward being attractive to a personal with titanium testicles.

[ericthai]

Seems quite a fair amount of mind numbing substances are consumed in this country. From OTC drugs to very flammable brain roasting substances.

These mules and their bosses dont appear to be that smart either and sometimes I seriously doubt the sincerity of the law enforcements to put an end to it as it easily passes through several borders.

Hate so say this but you are wrong, their bosses are very smart. They use this girl as a decoy to allow a bigger shipment get in. This is a normal tactic used by gangs, they have a small shipment and a big shipment and then they give a tip to the police for the small shipment.

[robertson468]

She's basically thrown her life away for 1,000 dollars. She must be very stupid or very desperate.

Or both!!

[ericthai]

All you guys saying she is desperate or stupid have no idea how much gets through. Had she not been ratted out she likely doesn't get busted. I'll bet 90%+ of shipments make it through undetected and 75%+ of people busted just lose the drugs and a bribe to the cops.

I won't be running coke anytime soon but I can easily see the risk/reward being attractive to a personal with titanium testicles.

Don't be so naive, you cant always bribe your way out of things in Thailand. If the police accepted bribes all the time then the prisons would not be overcrowded as they are now.

[prakhonchai nick]

Whilst strolling along Beach Road Pattaya last week (well of course I was not really there!!) I was sidled up to 4 times by Thai men in half hour, offering Cocaine. Their spiel was identical "what you want -cocaine!"

[meelousee]

Most are desperate, yes.

Those are the ones the gangs prey on, as they are cheapest...

These gangs also lend money and payup time is... well not when you expect.

I just thought of something. Why did the police release this info?

They could have sent her to meeting point and nabbed the gang member doing pickup.

Maybe this did not happen on Wednesday,,,, Today?

Or Some information is missing

anyway.... back to my harmonica

Edited March 24, 2010 by meelousee

[grantbkk]

While it's easy to say she tossed her life away, know that it's not uncommon for gangs / mafia, especially Asian and African, to force these young girls to do this. I have no idea her case, but I've read about many cases where they threaten to kill their famlies and so on. Very sad stuff.

The sad part is, every government knows about this, and the prisons around the world are full of poor women (and stupid ones) who have been caught doing this.

The fact that "cops were tipped off" tells me they used her to take the fall so that many others carrying drugs would pass without fail. That is the typical decoy system used, and the cops are too freakin stupid to ever catch on. They probably let millions of dollars worth just slip through as while they were looking for this desperate Filipina, who will now spend the rest of her life in prison, while the African gang she did this for will continue to gather off Soi 3 and sell their drugs without problems, and usually on overstay and here illegally. It's the same story with this type of African in every country. I'm not sure why the police here do not do sweeps of that area, as they do in Hong Kong, and deport those who are here illegally, as you can count on them being up to no good.

The police used to sweep Soi Africia (3/1) every couple of month then the raids suddenly stopped. For the past year they have spread unchecked up to Asoke where the drug trade florishes and any crime remains in plain view. Lower Sukhumvit rightly deserves it's title "Bangkok Sewer".

[Jimjim]

Pure desperation. Traffickers find desperate people so they don't have to go to jail, themselves. Let others take the big risks.

[Oneman]

... gangs / mafia, especially Asian and African, to force these young girls to do this. I have no idea her case, but I've read about many cases where they threaten to kill their famlies and so on.

Tokay -

Interesting speculation, and would explain a lot, if true.

Do you have any sources for those "many cases" you mentioned above.

Thank you.

-- Oneman

Chiangmai

[chimsa]

Seems quite a fair amount of mind numbing substances are consumed in this country. From OTC drugs to very flammable brain roasting substances.

These mules and their bosses dont appear to be that smart either and sometimes I seriously doubt the sincerity of the law enforcements to put an end to it as it easily passes through several borders.

Hate so say this but you are wrong, their bosses are very smart. They use this girl as a decoy to allow a bigger shipment get in. This is a normal tactic used by gangs, they have a small shipment and a big shipment and then they give a tip to the police for the small shipment.

You are probably right. But why then did then give her so much of the stuff. Is this business really so profitable?

These a...holes are taking over Sukhumvit soi by soi. Myself and friends enjoyed drinking late on 13. It was ideal. Now we call it Coon Corner (this is not racial just a comment about the awful characters who accumulate there now) It got to the stage when there was a fight every night. You had to dodge tables and glasses. How do these

indivuduals make their money? How do they get visas? Why do the Thais not realise the damage they do?

[sangfroid]

While it's easy to say she tossed her life away, know that it's not uncommon for gangs / mafia, especially Asian and African, to force these young girls to do this. I have no idea her case, but I've read about many cases where they threaten to kill their famlies and so on. Very sad stuff.

The sad part is, every government knows about this, and the prisons around the world are full of poor women (and stupid ones) who have been caught doing this.

The fact that "cops were tipped off" tells me they used her to take the fall so that many others carrying drugs would pass without fail. That is the typical decoy system used, and the cops are too freakin stupid to ever catch on. They probably let millions of dollars worth just slip through as while they were looking for this desperate Filipina, who will now spend the rest of her life in prison, while the African gang she did this for will continue to gather off Soi 3 and sell their drugs without problems, and usually on overstay and here illegally. It's the same story with this type of African in every country. I'm not sure why the police here do not do sweeps of that area, as they do in Hong Kong, and deport those who are here illegally, as you can count on them being up to no good.

The police used to sweep Soi Africia (3/1) every couple of month then the raids suddenly stopped. For the past year they have spread unchecked up to Asoke where the drug trade florishes and any crime remains in plain view. Lower Sukhumvit rightly deserves it's title "Bangkok Sewer".

Yes, they used to exterminate the rats in the Sukh 3/1 nest quite often but there seems to be more of them than ever these days. Huay Khwang , Din Daeng and Petchburi Rd seem to have growing infestations as well.

Edited March 24, 2010 by sangfroid

[GungaDin]

Seems quite a fair amount of mind numbing substances are consumed in this country. From OTC drugs to very flammable brain roasting substances.

These mules and their bosses dont appear to be that smart either and sometimes I seriously doubt the sincerity of the law enforcements to put an end to it as it easily passes through several borders.

Hate so say this but you are wrong, their bosses are very smart. They use this girl as a decoy to allow a bigger shipment get in. This is a normal tactic used by gangs, they have a small shipment and a big shipment and then they give a tip to the police for the small shipment.

Exactly!

I wonder how much came in undetected on that flight.

[gbswales]

She's basically thrown her life away for 1,000 dollars. She must be very stupid or very desperate.

It is also possible that she is a victim herself- ie addicted and hocked up to the eyballs to the guys who got her addicted in the first place - I doubt however if the justice system in Thailand will look deeply into motivation - they need examples to show trial and punish as a macho example of how Thailand is "fighting" drugs.

[Edmond]

Whilst strolling along Beach Road Pattaya last week (well of course I was not really there!!) I was sidled up to 4 times by Thai men in half hour, offering Cocaine. Their spiel was identical "what you want -cocaine!"

Yes they work out of the shop on the corner of soi 9 . When you go to collect your package instead of getting 10 hits your given 10 years.

[farangpattaya]

She's basically thrown her life away for 1,000 dollars. She must be very stupid or very desperate.

Unless she has a regular salary of USD 100 per month...............that's almost a year work!!

You don't wanna know what people do for less!!

[greyfriarsbobby]

All you guys saying she is desperate or stupid have no idea how much gets through. Had she not been ratted out she likely doesn't get busted. I'll bet 90%+ of shipments make it through undetected and 75%+ of people busted just lose the drugs and a bribe to the cops.

I won't be running coke anytime soon but I can easily see the risk/reward being attractive to a personal with titanium testicles.

Don't be so naive, you cant always bribe your way out of things in Thailand. If the police accepted bribes all the time then the prisons would not be overcrowded as they are now.

Maybe they/she cannot afford the bribe!!