Three Iranians Nabbed In Two 'Ice' Smuggling Cases At Suvarnabhumi Airport

[webfact]

Three Iranians nabbed in two 'ice' smuggling cases at Suvarnabhumi airport

BANGKOK: -- Thai customs officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested an Iranian couple for smuggling nearly 20 litres of liquid crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ice,’ worth Bt64 million (nearly US$2 million), while another Iranian was arrested separately for bringing 0.9 kg of ‘ice,’ valued at Bt3.1 million (about $100,000) into the kingdom.

Customs Department Director-General Somchai Sajjapong on Tuesday told a press briefing that Javad Firoozi, 28, and Manizhen Azhdari, 30, were arrested Monday at Thailand’s main international airport carrying liquid-formula ‘ice.’

Customs officers confiscated ten bottles totalling 18.4 litres of the drug worth Bt64 million.

The couple said they concealed the bottles in an air-inflated raft before leaving Syria’s capital of Damascus for Thailand in order to hand over the drugs to customers in the seaside resort city of Pattaya. The pair was hired with $3,000.

The customs officials found a suspicious bottle while inspecting their baggage at the international arrival terminal.

Investigators found the bottle had already been opened, white flakes around the bottle cap and white sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which was identified as crystal meth after chemical testing.

Mr Somchai said that this was Thailand's first seizure of liquid-formula ice being smuggled into the kingdom.

Previously Thai authorities impounded ice and arrested drug smugglers many times so smugglers adjusted their method and form of smuggling drugs to evade the authorities.

In another ice-related case, customs officials on Tuesday arrested Zolfali Mohsen, 24-year-old Iranian national, with three bags totalling 0.9 kg of dry crystal meth valued more than Bt3.1 million (about $100,000) at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Mr Mohsen arrived from the Iranian capital Tehran.

However, he denied the charge, saying that he did not know why the illicit drug was placed in his baggage.

Since October 2009, the customs officials have impounded 86,900 grammes of dry crystal methamphetamine, worth Bt307 million (over $9.3 million). (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-07-13

[Scott]

As the words to the song go: "When will they ever learn?"

[MRCOCONUT]

:PEnjoy The sands of the hour glass! Douch bag!

[Peshay]

This is a daily occurance at this airport now..i don't understand these people! stupid? naive? or both!

[surangw]

intercepted because they are not the sanctioned cartel members ?

[Tropicalevo]

These are just the few that they catch. I wonder how many others get through.

[dynabob]

Sounds like there's a rat in the woodpile

[overhaul38]

Maybe Thailand should try them under Sharia law to make them feel welcome.

[sukhumvitlegend]

Dont bring drugs to Thailand

[Boater]

I think the mule with the 100 k usd was set up to be caught to allow the mule with 2 million to get through ! .. But something went wrong ... Bangkok hilton occupency rate is rocketing at the moment

[Chris Lawrence]

Is this a death penalty offence? In any event they will be spending a lot of time in Thailand.

[ryladie99]

As the words to the song go: "When will they ever learn?"

These drug smugglers never learn. They should know that when they purchase drugs from the Drug Cartel they are in danger. Because, the Drug Cartels are making money both ways. They sell you and I drugs then they call the polices for the Award money.

Now anyone wants to smuggle should know the outcome...he or she is the joke of the Cartel. It is so sad 30 billion dollars spending for drugs at US and Mexican Border. I do not understand why people are so weak and addict to drugs...

Right now Arizona has so much problem with Drug cartel because, they sent the hit men to kill 800- 1000 Mexican National. Right along US and Mexican borders several Mexican citizens were dying from the Drug Wars. My heart felt for the families...and the addicts for 30 billion dollars should be blame for. Today in San Francisco the polices confistigate 350,000 worth of marijuana plants that grow right next to the Kindergarten school. It is about time We legalize drugs and educate people to use drug in medicines. I will be the most happy person if marijuana legalizes in California so the government can taxes people who smoke it. Well drugs kill people, family and the country. Only the drug cartels are rich and these people are unproductive population in society..... my personal opinion.

Edited July 14, 2010 by ryladie99

[Igor]

Just curious: Where do they find people so dumb as to think they can get nearly 20 liters of any liquid through Customs?

In fact, you gotta wonder how the inspectors in Damascus missed it. (Uhm, yeah, I know...)

I'd sure as hel_l demand more than $3K to try it!

Question: Why does the blogging software here automatically stick an underscore before the second L in "hel_l"? It's not exactly a curse word and separating the two letters hardly sanitizes it. Very juvenile. And I hereby apologize to the people I thought had done it on purpose before.

[sirchai]

These are just the few that they catch. I wonder how many others get through.

[/quute)

:jap:

Guess a lot of 'water' went through the customs the last time. Also working with coca. Guess all are innocent.....

[Thai at Heart]

Why so many Iranians recently?

TAT actually generating an increase in arrivals?

[sirchai]

As the words to the song go: "When will they ever learn?"

:bah:I think they shouldn't use Coke bottles....

[asiawatcher]

Interesting that carrying liquids of any description is a no-no, why would carrying 18.4Kg of liquid not ring alarm bells. If the airport people make you chuck a small bottle of water why would they even think they could get in 1.25 litre bottles of anything. Especially in Fanta or Sprite bottles. What these are so cheap in Duty Free now? Maybe they should join the buffaloes. There is no shortage of fools to keep them company. Maybe they will learn new ways to transport they can test out in 25 years from now and have a few days freedom before getting caught again.

[hoaker]

Money overpowers the risk for these smugglers. I also wonder out of the 307 million USD in meth confiscated, how much hit the streets anyway???