Customs Dept arrests 2 Iranians smuggling 1 kg of crystal meth in stomachs
By Digital Media

SAMUT PRAKAN: -- Customs Department at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested two Iranian nationals for having a combined one kilogramme of crystal methamphetamine in their stomachs.

The customs department’s deputy director general Rakop Srisupa-at told a news conference that Mr Ali Dastbarsar, 23, and Mr Ehsan Babak, 24, acted suspiciously and matched descriptions provided by a secret agent.

An x-ray scan revealed suspicious objects in their stomachs, which were later found to be the illegal drug crystal methamphetamine totalling one kilogramme, with a street value of around Bt3.5 million.

According to an investigation, Mr Babak said that he was convinced by a drug gang to smuggle the drug into Thailand by swallowing the narcotics to avoid arrest. He was to be paid Bt60,000 to 90,000 if the delivery was completed.

The pair were initially charged with possession of illegal drugs and smuggling it into the Kingdom. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-06-10

Are Iranians subject to an x ray scan on arrival in BKK ? If so, good !

Do most druggies know where their stuff has been?

Consuming something that has been up an Iranian's

poop-shoot would put me off for life.

Are Iranians subject to an x ray scan on arrival in BKK ? If so, good !

I agree but what concerns me is that Thailand is virtually the only country in the region where customs do NOT carry out regular screening of passenger's luggage (having said that of course these smugglers had their drugs in their stomachs). Meanwhile, Vietnam, Myanmar and other neighboring countries regularly screen arriving passengers luggage; Thailand is lax, criminals know this and exploit this.

Do most druggies know where their stuff has been?

Consuming something that has been up an Iranian's

poop-shoot would put me off for life.

No eggs for breakfast then?

Definitely another example for a declining learning curve around the world!

Off with their heads

I wonder how many got through?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

matched descriptions provided by a secret agent

I wonder how many got through?

Probably eight or so. Fairly common to sacrifice one or two as it satisfies a number of otherwise thorny issues. Obviously these guys wouldn't have been caught without a tip from inside the transport arm of the operation. People are not normally exposed to X-rays outside of a hospital or dedicated facility.

BKK has an airport hospital facility. They just don't take care of tourist upset tummies.

OK, so what's with the pixilated faces of our wonderful Iranian visitors? usually when westerners or Africans are detained we are treated to their full photos and even their passports. Is this a new trend?

Nothing new here then

Off with their heads

Damn right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Iranians are back in town with full stomach...

Off with their heads

dam_n right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Agreed, but it would make for a better investigation if they had these two lads tailed after they get through customs and see where they dump the crystal meth. Perhaps a chance to get to the end buyer. But that would require good detective work.

Off with their heads

dam_n right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Agreed, but it would make for a better investigation if they had these two lads tailed after they get through customs and see where they dump the crystal meth. Perhaps a chance to get to the end buyer. But that would require good detective work.

What and finger the BIB, Not going to happen Sir

Bringing crystal meth to Thailand is akin to taking coals to Newcastle, plenty of competition from the local high-ranking officials in the same business too, and you don't want to be stepping on their toes, in their country of all places.

Smuggling crystal meth INTO Thailand? I had always understood that the country had the stuff coming out of its ears already.

Look at their eyes, they're hallucinating already.

Do most druggies know where their stuff has been?

Consuming something that has been up an Iranian's

poop-shoot would put me off for life.

No eggs for breakfast then?

You've an odd idea about where eggs come from.

Smuggling crystal meth INTO Thailand? I had always understood that the country had the stuff coming out of its ears already.

And bums now eh. This catch deserves a .

Are Iranians subject to an x ray scan on arrival in BKK ? If so, good !

I agree but what concerns me is that Thailand is virtually the only country in the region where customs do NOT carry out regular screening of passenger's luggage (having said that of course these smugglers had their drugs in their stomachs). Meanwhile, Vietnam, Myanmar and other neighboring countries regularly screen arriving passengers luggage; Thailand is lax, criminals know this and exploit this.

How do you know that "criminals know this and exploit this"? Or are you just assuming such? I've flown in to Thailand hundreds of times and I never heard about this.

Off with their heads

dam_n right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Agreed, but it would make for a better investigation if they had these two lads tailed after they get through customs and see where they dump the crystal meth. Perhaps a chance to get to the end buyer. But that would require good detective work.

Why would they take the large amount of time and man power to do that when they didn't know for sure they had drugs until the X-ray?

Off with their heads

dam_n right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Agreed, but it would make for a better investigation if they had these two lads tailed after they get through customs and see where they dump the crystal meth. Perhaps a chance to get to the end buyer. But that would require good detective work.

Why would they take the large amount of time and man power to do that when they didn't know for sure they had drugs until the X-ray?

Good point. They caught them because they were acting suspiciously.

wow secret agents in thailand, who knew?

Do most druggies know where their stuff has been?

Consuming something that has been up an Iranian's

poop-shoot would put me off for life.

yeah unfortunatly remember,1,when you have your dinner,that can either turn into sick,or sh-it,your just eating it b4 it gets that way,,,2 ever seen any movies when the guys taking drugs say,wow thats great shi-t man,,maybe thats where it comes from,,,MAYBE MAYBE,,,,

I would hold my head down in shame too, knowing that a few bucks for a selfish twit, could ruin the lives of those stupid enough to use the crap.

Interpol = Operation Ice Trail. tracking shipments of ICE out of Iran into SE Asia via Turkey. Apparently Iran is now the location for some the largest manufacturers of methamphetamine being trafficked by organised crime.

http://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Drugs/Projects

Off with their heads

dam_n right! Anyone who has worked the ME will be all too aware of their penalties for serious crime. Well done customs - excellent result and a super deterrent to other scum bags

Agreed, but it would make for a better investigation if they had these two lads tailed after they get through customs and see where they dump the crystal meth. Perhaps a chance to get to the end buyer. But that would require good detective work.

What and finger the BIB, Not going to happen Sir

The BIB is the Mafia here, and the Lord of the BIB lives in Dubai.

I wonder how many got through?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

+1

Bringing crystal meth to Thailand is akin to taking coals to Newcastle, plenty of competition from the local high-ranking officials in the same business too, and you don't want to be stepping on their toes, in their country of all places.

I'm not sure there is any reason to suspect that Thailand was necessarily the final destination for this crystal meth product? That said, methamphetamine tablets laced with caffeine have traditionally been the local speed of choice/choice of speed? But maybe some trans-shipments get stripped off for local sales, or there is a market for crystal meth now which needs supplying? Not sure the Burmese rebels have the supplies necessary to manufacture crystal meth anyway?