B30Mn Coke Bust At Phuket Airport

[LivinginKata]

B30mn coke bust at Phuket Airport

Swiss national Peter Balmer at this morning's press conference.

The two sheets of "black cocaine" recovered from inside the lining of his luggage.

PHUKET: Six kilograms of cocaine were seized by officers in two separate airport arrests this week. The suspects, a Swiss man and a Thai woman, face a maximum penalty of death under Thai law for smuggling of Category 2 narcotics.

Swiss national Peter Balmer, 47, was arrested on Monday with possession and intent to smuggle 4 kg of cocaine at Phuket International Airport. To avoid detection, the contraband was in the form of black strips known as "black cocaine", an intentionally adulterated form used to evade detection. It is then purified after it reaches its intended destination.

In the second bust, which occurred about 11pm Tuesday night, Sa Kaeo resident Pimpisa “Ja” Piangyotha, 39, was nabbed by officers with two kilos of pure cocaine in her luggage when she arrived for a Bangkok-bound flight.

Lt Col Prawit Engchuan of Phuket City Police said officers were tipped off by an unnamed informant that a large drug shipment from South America was expected to move through the airport.

Phuket City Police then coordinated with airport immigration, customs officers, and Thachatchai Police, all of whom were ordered on high alert, he said.

At this morning's press conference at Phuket City Police Station, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong said investigators believed both suspects were part of the same network.

Balmer and Pimpisa denied this, saying they had never met before.

Balmer also told the Phuket Gazette he didn't know that the black material he was carrying was cocaine until the police told him.

About 4pm on Monday, Balmer arrived at Phuket Airport. After passing through immigration and collecting his luggage at a baggage carousel, he proceeded to Customs clearance, police said.

When Customs officers examined his luggage with a scanning device, they became suspicious. After a thorough inspection of the bag, officers discovered two black sheets, each weighing 2 kilograms, concealed inside the luggage lining. It was later determined to be "black cocaine".

Miss Pimpisa also said she was unaware of the drugs found in her possession, claiming that a man in Brazil had placed the drugs into her luggage without her knowledge.

The unnamed man was a friend of a black foreign man in Bangkok named “Mike,” with whom she had been acquainted for about six months but had little contact with over that period.

Despite this, Mike had sponsored her with a two-week "holiday" to Brazil, covering all of her expenses and giving her US$2,000 in cash, she said.

On the day of her return, Mike's Brazilian friend placed a bag into her luggage, saying it was to be delivered to Mike.

Officers said the drugs in the two busts have a combined wholesale value of 18 million baht in Thailand.

The street value could run as high as 30 million baht, they added.

During the ensuing investigation, Balmer told police he had been living in Thailand for 4 or 5 years.

He had been supporting a Thai wife in Nakhon Ratchasima on a government disability pension he received from a carpentry accident, he said.

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

He admitted he was hired by a man of African decent in Bangkok who agreed to pay him 200,000 baht (US$6,000) to bring a piece of luggage to Thailand from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where he claims the deal took place.

Balmer told the Gazette that he was advised to fly from Santa Cruz to the Bolivian capital of La Paz, then to Phuket via Sao Paolo, Dubai and Kuala Lampur.

He had yet to be contacted by Swiss Embassy officials, he added.

He will be held at Thachatchai Police Station while the legal case against him is processed, police said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-05-11

[seriouseats]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

I thought the point of having a restaurant was making money?

[webfact]

International cocaine ring busted in Phuket

By The Nation

Alleged members of a transnational drug dealing ring were arrested at Phuket Airport with six kilograms of cocaine worth Bt33 million, Phuket police said yesterday.

Following a tip-off about smuggling from South America into the airport, police and related agencies arrested Swiss national Peter Balmer, 47, on Monday along with four kilograms of black-coloured cocaine.

It was the country's first seizure of this type of cocaine. The haul had a market value of Bt3 million to Bt5 million per kilogram.

Balmer, who had been in Thailand for four to five years, spoke some Thai and had a Thai wife in Nakhon Ratchasima, reportedly told police he was hired for about US$6,000 (Bt180,000) to smuggle the cocaine from Bolivia.

Sa Kaew woman Pimpisa Piangyotha, 39, was arrested on Tuesday along with two kilograms of white-coloured cocaine. Pimpisa told police she was offered a free trip to Brazil by a foreign man named Mike on condition she brought back a travel bag and passed it on to a gang member in Bangkok.

She said she was also told she would be paid.

Meanwhile, a separate police press conference at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani presented suspects from two drugs cases yesterday.

In the first, Treewit Pukwattana, 29, Adisak Chaithong, 31, and Chayanat Yaemwong, 20, were arrested on Monday along with 160,000 ya ba tablets, three guns and 44 bullets.

On Monday, police followed Treewit, a former drug convict, and accomplice Adisak, finding them in possession of the drugs. They expanded the investigation and arrested Chayanat, who had allegedly ordered 60,000 ya ba tablets in Nonthaburi's Bang Yai district the same day.

In the second case. suspect Nonthachai Homreun, 25, was arrested on Tuesday while hiding out as a monk in a Suphan Buri temple.

Nonthachai was fleeing drugs charges in Samut Prakan after his accomplice Banjerd Daengyai was arrested on September 30, 2009.

-- The Nation 2011-05-12

[saroq]

He flushed his life away for 200,000 baht. Was going back home and getting a job such a horrible idea that he took this kind of risk. Idiot.

[kuffki]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

I thought the point of having a restaurant was making money?

Not when it comes to foreign husbands, then the point of a restaurant is to suck all the money from the husband to cover the cost of business.

In other words, what ever sales business makes goes to the family, while the husband is to pay rent and groceries and bills.

I am sure, he married a good girl from good family.

Now back to OP, why people never ever learn?? Anything to do with drugs in Asia is lethal!

And take a risk like that over $6000 is beyond stupid. I could possibly understand if the profit or pay was going to be enough to retire for the rest of his life but over 200 000 baht is just crazy , not to mention the good wife would have relieved him from the money in less then 3-4 months

Edited May 12, 2011 by kuffki

[guzzi850m2]

Very stupid indeed. When he get out in 15 years time he should be able to collect pension due to high age, he just blown the best years of his life. He state that he didn't know he was caring black coke, well he should be smart enough to know that you don't get paid that money for caring candy bars.

[Just1Voice]

International cocaine ring busted in Phuket

Really? They busted two idiots, two "mules", and that's it. Did they arrest the dealers? The men who sent the mules? Or anyone else? Nope, just the two idiots, but hey, since they were coming from outside of Thailand, that makes them an International Ring.

[webfact]

Thai police seize cocaine worth Bt10 million at Phuket Airport

PHUKET: -- Thai police arrested a Swiss national and a Thai woman for attempting to carry six kilogrammes of cocaine into the country at Phuket International Airport.

Pol Maj Gen Phikat Tantipong, commander of Phuket provincial police, told a news conference Wednesday that police detained Peter Balmer, 47, a Swiss national with four kilos of cocaine and Mrs Pimpisa, 39, with two kilos of powdered cocaine at Phuket International Airport.

Mr Balmer has lived in Thailand for several years, is married to a Thai woman, and he was hired to pick up the drugs overseas to bring them to Phuket Airport, according to the police.

Both suspects were detained at Thachatchai police station for possession of a total of six kilos of cocaine worth more than Bt30 million (US$1 million). The arrest came after a tip-off about drug trafficking into the country at Phuket International Airport. The street value is Bt5 million (US$166,000) per kilo.

Mrs Pimpisa said that a foreign friend named only ‘Mike’ paid her travel to carry cocaine from Brazil and that she was to receive payment when she delivered the drug to his syndicate member.

Initially, the police didn’t believe the suspects as their passports showed they travelled into the country several times via Phuket to their destination in Bangkok.

Police presumed that they have been involved in drug trafficking a number of times and that their syndicate may be large, involving other accomplices. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-05-12

[cdnvic]

One post removed for disparaging an entire race of people. This kind of thing won't be tolerated.

[FOODLOVER]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Edited May 12, 2011 by FOODLOVER

[sirchai]

Balmer also told the Phuket Gazette he didn't know that the black material he was carrying was cocaine until the police told him. (- Phuket Gazette 2011-05-11)

Balmer, who had been in Thailand for four to five years, spoke some Thai and had a Thai wife in Nakhon Ratchasima, reportedly told police he was hired for about US$6,000 (Bt180,000) to smuggle the cocaine from Bolivia. (- The Nation 2011-05-12 )

Som Nam Na. There's not more to say.

I'm wondering about the classification of drugs. Do they really think that cocaine is less dangerous than heroin? :jap:

Here's the link: http://www.thailawfo...ct-part2-2.html

Section 7 Narcotics shall be classified into 5 categories, viz :

(1) category I consists of dangerous narcotics such as heroin;

(2)category II consists of ordinary narcotics such as morphine, cocaine, codeine, medicinal opium;

(3)category III consists of narcotics which are in the form of medicinal formula and contain narcotics of category II as ingredients in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Minister and published in the Government Gazette;

(4)category IV consists of chemicals used for producing narcotics of category I or category II such as acetic anhydride, acetyl chloride ;

(5)category V consists of narcotics which are not included in category I to category IV such as marijuana, kratom plant.

Edited May 12, 2011 by sirchai

[asdecas]

Since time immemorial these hard drug busts in Thailand have almost invariably been as result of informants, at least reportedly so. One wonders just why it is so profitable to grass on these mules (I doubt there is a moral angle); perhaps there is a little "recycling" going on here?

[seriouseats]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

I thought the point of having a restaurant was making money?

Not when it comes to foreign husbands, then the point of a restaurant is to suck all the money from the husband to cover the cost of business.

In other words, what ever sales business makes goes to the family, while the husband is to pay rent and groceries and bills.

I am sure, he married a good girl from good family.

Now back to OP, why people never ever learn?? Anything to do with drugs in Asia is lethal!

And take a risk like that over $6000 is beyond stupid. I could possibly understand if the profit or pay was going to be enough to retire for the rest of his life but over 200 000 baht is just crazy , not to mention the good wife would have relieved him from the money in less then 3-4 months

i lost my income a month ago.. the restaurant i gave money to mine to start is now paying my mortgage, international school and my food.. So im really baffled.. It's so easy to make money with restaurants here.

[sirchai]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Maybe it was really black chocolate? :jap:

[MILT]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Are you a prison racists?

Edited May 12, 2011 by MILT

[EODghost]

What about the Thai drug dealers that were buying the cocaine from him? Any thought to allowing him through customs, following him to his destination and busting the big guys?

Of course not. The big guys are all standing behind him in #8.

Who wants to bet the evidence disappears after our Swiss Steak is char broiled and prosecuted. Hypocrisy at its best; bad Foreigner...Good Thailand.

[Derifo]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

I thought the point of having a restaurant was making money?

Thanks for that brilliant reply. I just can't stop laughing.

[kuffki]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Are you a prison racists?

Whats a prison racists?

[Straight8]

There is always more to the story, he knew exactly what was involved and what he was doing, he was confident he would get away with it.

It is beyond comprehension to put a price on your life, and drug smuggling not just here, but anywhere in the world is crazy.

Live by the sword, and you will die by it.

I feel no pity for fools like this.

[MILT]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Are you a prison racists?

Whats a prison racists?

It was meant as a joke

[Derifo]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.

I thought the point of having a restaurant was making money?

Not when it comes to foreign husbands, then the point of a restaurant is to suck all the money from the husband to cover the cost of business.

In other words, what ever sales business makes goes to the family, while the husband is to pay rent and groceries and bills.

I am sure, he married a good girl from good family.

Now back to OP, why people never ever learn?? Anything to do with drugs in Asia is lethal!

And take a risk like that over $6000 is beyond stupid. I could possibly understand if the profit or pay was going to be enough to retire for the rest of his life but over 200 000 baht is just crazy , not to mention the good wife would have relieved him from the money in less then 3-4 months

Only greed and laziness can make one venture into drug dealing in the first place. I'd never do what he did for $1m because if I continue to work hard for the rest of my life, I'll get there someday. Presently, I earn that amount ( 200,000 ) in just under 5 months teaching.

Edited May 12, 2011 by Derifo

[FOODLOVER]

Black Cocaine? That is certainly not politically correct. Cocaine of color, maybe. For a restaurant? Thought he could pass it of as Swiss chocolate i guess. Feel sorry for the guy. (Although an idiot) Swiss prisons i'm sure are lovely, Thai not so much.

Are you a prison racists?

Whats a prison racists?

It was meant as a joke

Did not mean to be. I'm only a cracker with a sense of humor sorry if i offended.

[yankee99]

The price of cocaine sure has come up. Thats about 6000baht a gram?

[kuffki]

i must say, 1 thing i always wondered about in Thailand is who is doing the tipping off and for what reason?

I mean, personally i have never ever been checked by the customs in Thailand. May be i have a sweet face look, but really, in 8 years never been checked.

Most people i know, also never been checked.

So who is tipping off the police and why?

Competition? or ........

[bristolgeoff]

hope he got a nice room in the bkk hilton after he got caught

[FOODLOVER]

i must say, 1 thing i always wondered about in Thailand is who is doing the tipping off and for what reason?

I mean, personally i have never ever been checked by the customs in Thailand. May be i have a sweet face look, but really, in 8 years never been checked.

Most people i know, also never been checked.

So who is tipping off the police and why?

Competition? or ........

If you load a mule and then report to the appropriate agency in many poor countries you get 20% of the cut. Family picks the cash up for you in said country and every one but the mule now leads a lovely life. Happens all the time in countries that start with a "T". I've got all the episodes of "Banged up Abroad" so it must be true.

[moskito]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.....

LOL, good one. Foreigners which do "dirty business" should go directly from airport to jail in EVERY Country.

I just HOPE they follow the ways...where was the destination of that cocaine??? and is there any police involved? Sorry but large amounts like that need a Salesman...and a Salesman often need cover in Thailand....and best cover is......(((:

Hope they bring all these dealers to court asap......and the helpers in brown too...if there are some....

BTW, I have a terrible connection ONLY with ThaiVisa today!? anybody too `?

[lazygourmet]

[trisailer]

I have to agree with kuffki that risking your neck for $6K is a little stupid. I also agree that these mules were probably set up to provide news fodder for the authorities and the politician's who well know what the game is. After pouring millions into capturing mules and busting drug rings the problem gets worse.

It astounds me that a social ill of this magnitude is so misunderstood and such little effort is expended to get a grip on it. Governments will never stop the flow of drugs and each and every one of them will suffer the consequences of their misguided approach.

Alcohol is still the most damaging substance by a factor of hundreds, but it is legal and it is used and understood well enough that it's impact on society can be minimized (with a lot more effort)

People who become addicted to substances are insane and there are proven ways to return them to sanity. Keeping drugs illegal and attempting to deal with them with enforcement is even more insane.

[moskito]

When the Swiss government canceled his pension 3 months ago, he became desperate for funds to cover overhead costs of his wife's restaurant there.....

LOL, good one. Foreigners which do "dirty business" should go directly from airport to jail in EVERY Country.

I just HOPE they follow the ways...where was the destination of that cocaine??? and is there any police involved? Sorry but large amounts like that need a Salesman...and a Salesman often need cover in Thailand....and best cover is......(((:

Hope they bring all these dealers to court asap......and the helpers in brown too...if there are some....

BTW, I have a terrible connection ONLY with ThaiVisa today!? anybody too `?