Two Iranians Arrested At Suvarnabhumi Airport With US$107,000 Of 'Ice'

[webfact]

Two Iranians arrested with Bt3.2 million of 'ice'

BANGKOK, Feb 16 --- Two Iranian men were detained at Thailand’s main international airport for smuggling crystal methamphetamine, known as 'ice,' valued at Bt3.2 million (nearly US$107,000), according to the Thai Customs Department

Mohammad Khojasteh Khatonabad, 19, and Haghighatmirashrafi Hamed, 22, were arrested with 905 grammes of crystal meth late Wednesday evening on arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Customs Director-General Somchai Pulsawas told a news briefing on Thursday.

Flying to Thailand from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the two Iranians behaved suspiciously while disembarking.

Customs officers asked them to submit to an X-ray inspection, which indicated suspicious objects in their stomachs.

Thai customs officers retrieved 65 packages of crystal meth weighing 475 grammes from Mr Khatonabad and 58 packages of ice weighing 430 grammes from Mr Hamed’s stomach.

Initially, the suspects were charged with possessing and smuggling illicit drugs without permits and were transferred to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for further investigation.

Since Oct 1, 2011, Thailand’s Customs Department has made arrests in 12 drug smuggling cases at Suvarnabhumi Airport, valued at over Bt65.7 million (some $2.2 million).

Six cases involved 'ice' smuggling totalling 8,740 grammes, valued at more than Bt31 million (approximately $1 million). (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-02-16

[OccamsRazor]

Wonder who the 1st government official will comment "see, this is what it was all about - drugs"

[mightyharriss]

Used to fund the purchase of weapons no doubt..... Iranians have been caught multiple times in the last year bringing ice in to the country

[Orac]

Its not as if the Thai customs and immigration authorities are likely to be keeping an eye out for dodgy Iranians at the moment.

[pieandmash]

Someone hurry up and blame it on the Israelis.

[Darbar]

Its not as if the Thai customs and immigration authorities are likely to be keeping an eye out for dodgy Iranians at the moment.

Yep, agreed. Their timing is poor to say the least...

[Orac]

Its not as if the Thai customs and immigration authorities are likely to be keeping an eye out for dodgy Iranians at the moment.

Yep, agreed. Their timing is poor to say the least...

Since their terrorists are only able to blowing up their own house, an empty taxi and their own legs off I am not sure Iran is really the threat it is cracked up to be.

[dddave]

I've harped on this before but it bears repetition; while I have seen dozens of announcements of arrests of Iranian and other drug smugglers, I have never seen publicized the results of any of their trials. If the threat of long term incarceration is part of a deterrent, then you would think that showing the trial results would be an essential element.

It really makes me wonder if they are somehow protected by "persons of influence" and quietly shipped back to Iran.

[bigbamboo]

These Iranian tourists seem to be everywhere in Thailand now. No wonder the visitor numbers are up.

[Colin Yai]

I've harped on this before but it bears repetition; while I have seen dozens of announcements of arrests of Iranian and other drug smugglers, I have never seen publicized the results of any of their trials. If the threat of long term incarceration is part of a deterrent, then you would think that showing the trial results would be an essential element.

It really makes me wonder if they are somehow protected by "persons of influence" and quietly shipped back to Iran.

Yeah Dave ,others must thinking along those lines too, after all money buys everything here in Thailand don't it!.

[aussiejosh]

19 and 22, stupid, but what a waste of young lives.... Then again they probably weren't the 2 nicest people to meet in the street from the looks of them either.

[garrfeild]

Not really the time to be smuggling, when your fellow countrymen have thrown a few bombs around Bangkok.

[Reasonableman]

You mean you can actually get a permit to smuggle these days? Looks like there's a national trend afoot.

[rubl]

Too lazy to do some searching, so just 'throw' it into the group here. Did all the Iranians caugh with certain substances over the last six months or so come from Dubai? Instead of catching them here, maybe already stop them there? I assume even in Dubai having this kind of stuff is illegal?

[blows]

Death penalty?

[OzMick]

Too lazy to do some searching, so just 'throw' it into the group here. Did all the Iranians caugh with certain substances over the last six months or so come from Dubai? Instead of catching them here, maybe already stop them there? I assume even in Dubai having this kind of stuff is illegal?

Did they transit Dubai, or actually stop there? Are you suggesting an Iranian-TS link?

[rubl]

Too lazy to do some searching, so just 'throw' it into the group here. Did all the Iranians caugh with certain substances over the last six months or so come from Dubai? Instead of catching them here, maybe already stop them there? I assume even in Dubai having this kind of stuff is illegal?

Did they transit Dubai, or actually stop there? Are you suggesting an Iranian-TS link?

No, I'm not that crazy. As I wrote, it seems all caught over the last six months came from Dubai. I have no idea if they started there or just passed through

[metisdead]

Post containing overly derogatory comments have been removed. Some baiting posts have also been removed.

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[blows]

Was it for personal use?

With 2.8 percent of the population addicted to drugs, the United Nations states that Iran has the highest drug addiction rate in the world.

Death Penalty: Iran Goes On Drug Offender Execution Binge

That's 30 people executed for drug offenses in the Islamic Republic in the last three weeks.

Edited February 16, 2012 by blows

[bigbamboo]

Was it for personal use?

With 2.8 percent of the population addicted to drugs, the United Nations states that Iran has the highest drug addiction rate in the world.

Death Penalty: Iran Goes On Drug Offender Execution Binge

That's 30 people executed for drug offenses in the Islamic Republic in the last three weeks.

I wonder if Chalerm knows about this?

[folium]

Here's a dumb question about which I need enlightening.

Why are Iranians smuggling meth into Thailand? Isn't that a slight case of coals to Newcastle or in US speak corn to Iowa. Given the amount pouring across the border from Myanmar why take the risk of flying it in from Tehran?

Is this stuff different from Burmese yabba?

[steelepulse]

K Ch saId " See, these Iranians in Thailand aren't terrorists, they're only drug mules".

[IsaanUSA]

Here's a dumb question about which I need enlightening.

Why are Iranians smuggling meth into Thailand? Isn't that a slight case of coals to Newcastle or in US speak corn to Iowa. Given the amount pouring across the border from Myanmar why take the risk of flying it in from Tehran?

Is this stuff different from Burmese yabba?

Somebody suggested above that they could be selling it to use the money to fund other illegal activities.

[wolf5370]

Not really the time to be smuggling, when your fellow countrymen have thrown a few bombs around Bangkok.

Doubt they even knew about it - how much unbiassed media coverage do you think the BKK storey is getting in Iran right now? What there is, do you reckon it's Iranians as the bad guys?

[wolf5370]

Here's a dumb question about which I need enlightening.

Why are Iranians smuggling meth into Thailand? Isn't that a slight case of coals to Newcastle or in US speak corn to Iowa. Given the amount pouring across the border from Myanmar why take the risk of flying it in from Tehran?

Is this stuff different from Burmese yabba?

I believe Yabba is Methamphetamines (n-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2-amine) mixed with caffine in tablet form (to keep people alert, awake and active - popular with taxi/tuktuk and lorry drivers here), where as Ice is Crystal Methamphetamine- i.e. it is in a crystal (smokable) form which is much more potant than tablets. Crank is powder that can be snorted. Ecstasy is a variant (methylene dioxy methamphetamine) - also speed (powder), base (waxy substance that can be injected after "treatment" is more pure form). Ice is around 80% oure, speed is less than 20% usually.

Ice is stronger (purer ~80%) with worse side affects, longer and more powerful high. It can cause a lot of strain on the body resulting in heart attacks. The come down is much harder too.

Edited February 16, 2012 by wolf5370

[dundee48]

`Initially, the suspects were charged with possessing and smuggling illicit drugs without permits and were transferred to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for further investigation`

So i guess it`s ok to possess and smuggle illicit drugs with a permit then..

[Jingthing]

Its not as if the Thai customs and immigration authorities are likely to be keeping an eye out for dodgy Iranians at the moment.

Yep, agreed. Their timing is poor to say the least...

Since their terrorists are only able to blowing up their own house, an empty taxi and their own legs off I am not sure Iran is really the threat it is cracked up to be.

Iran isnt a threat. Isreal and the usa IS!

Iran isn't a threat? Let's keep it that way. No nukes!

Speaking of BIG drug money and the connection to Thailand, there have been many reports that Iran-linked Hezbollah uses Thailand as a base for money laundering operations. They keep catching big Iranian drug mules. We all know they are just grunts showing the tip of the iceberg. Do you think there is a connection between the obviously massive involving of Iranian nationals in the Thailand drug trade and the Hezbollah money laundering?

Edited February 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[nightcruiser]

I've harped on this before but it bears repetition; while I have seen dozens of announcements of arrests of Iranian and other drug smugglers, I have never seen publicized the results of any of their trials. If the threat of long term incarceration is part of a deterrent, then you would think that showing the trial results would be an essential element.

It really makes me wonder if they are somehow protected by "persons of influence" and quietly shipped back to Iran.

Hi guys/girls try this site and you might find some of the results your looking for.

http://www.thaiprisonlife.com/news/iranian-drug-smuggler-gets-life-term/

[NastyNick]

Math (not meth, hehe) is way off here. 905 grams cost way less than $107,000 even if assuming each gram was sold individually.

$80/gram * 905 grams = $72,400

Since a good number of people purchase more than 1 at a time, and expect a discount, i think $60,000-$70,000 is the correct price range. Average users smoke 1 gram every 2 days, so the 905 grams would keep 20 people stoned every day for 90 days.

Considering the millions of users in Thailand, this arrest in the big scheme of things, was a micro drop in a mega bucket.

[toenail]

I visited Iran around 12 years ago, at the time the average Persian on the street was so frustrated with their government. The so called Islamic "clergymen" that control the country profits from most of the big businesses in Iran. They're so disliked that their Mercedes have to be bullet proof and they have bodyguards.I'm sure this negative attitude and mistrust of government has only grown since I was there. Unlike the Saudis or Kuwaitis (who are Arabs with new money) the Persians in the cities are well educated and are aware of what is going on in the world.The young people not only recite the old Persian poems or tell you about the history of Darius but tell you the latest hip hop song or fad in the West. The scumbag Iranian terrorists or even these guys entering Thailand with Ice are most likely from some rural village that are kept uneducated and end up being convinced to do such stupid things.