'Drugs planted on Australian couple' in Thailand

[HUAHIN62]

Four questions how did the alleged scammers know where the Aussies where going after they left the hotel (their next destination, way of transport, flight number etc). The scammers would have needed enough time in advance to setup such a scheme. The second question, why did the alleged scammers break into 2 suitcases stole nothing and only left drugs in one bag? If they broke into the suitcases in the hotel the person would have been under pressure to plant the drugs asap to avoid being caught by the Aussies or hotel personnel not involved in the scam. Logic would have been to leave drugs in both suitcases to implicate both of them. As it stood only the guy would have been arrested, but why also break the girls suitcase? The third question, if I find out someone broke into my bags I would have checked my bags at the airport asap to see what was missing. Why did they not check what was missing from the bags at the airport and went to a very expensive hotel to check their bags and missed their flight. Question 4, if there was no drugs in her suitcase, why did she replace her suitcase? If there was no drugs in it there would have been no need to do this.

Maybe this is what happened. They left their bags at the hotel and everything happened as they said, until they realised the bags were broken into. When checking their bags they noticed their recreational pot was missing (in the girls bag), as well as other items. They went into thinking overdrive, maybe the person that broke into their bags will report their drugs to the police. To cover their misdeed they report their pot as being planted by someone to the embassy, thereby creating an alibi. The girl dumped her bag as well although it was supposed to be drug free. But the embassy warned them that the dogs could pickup the smell in the bag even after the drugs was removed and that made her dump her bag. Just thinking too much again.

[Soutpeel]

They have been lucky. If it would be me, I would have checked the bags in the toilets, because I would be worried about missing the flight.

Although, I ever had bad luck with opening my luggage in the toilet of the airport:

I ever took some modern looking, decorative (random shape) piece of Crystal glass into my suitcase and wrapped it into an empty box of cement glue. In the airport in my country they noticed a symbol on the box saying it contained a chemical product. I had a very hard time explaining to them it was just an empty box and finally they let me pass with the box in my handluggage. I was thinking by myself, I am going to get problems for sure with this when I arrive in Thailand. So, I thought I was smart and went to the toilet and teared the chemical symbol out of the paper box and flushed it down the toilet. So, I was sure I would have no problems in Thailand.

Wrong thinking.

When arriving in Thailand there was a huge black spot on the X-ray where the crystal glass was. People were called for assistance, and they said I might have been hiding something. The problem is crystal glass contains lead and lead doesn't let x-ray pass. In other words: lead can be used to hide things on x-rays. So, the officer opened my luggage and found the box. Then they saw I teared a piece of paper out of the box. They said I removed the price. They started discussing this. At that time I couldn't speak Thai. I explained to them in English it was an empty box of cement glue. They didn't understand me at all and were really annoyed by me taking the "price" (dangerous chemical symbol) out the box. After calling a superior officer, who was in a good mood, they let me go - without paying anything.

Another time, I forgot a knife in my hand lugguage. They say this on the x-ray. I was asked to open the luggage, but they couldn't find the knife. So, they scanned again, and again the knife was there. They asked me to removed it, but I couldn't find it. So, they called other people to check, that also couldn't find it. They finally let me pass, with the "knife" in my hand luggage. When I arrived at home, I found the knife in my luggage, it had cut through the cloth of the luggage and it hidden between two layers of cloth.

I got "detained" in HK many years ago over 3 small bags of silica gel in a guitar case, once they figured out I wasnt a famous drug baron, like Howard Marks, I was let go, however they told me to leave the guitar case unlocked and put in the hold...and yes you guessed it on arriving at destination, it looked like some MF had had the case open and proceeded to drop the guitar and damaged it...not a happy camper...

[Soutpeel]

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

I too have flown many thousands of miles and lived and worked in many countries, some a lot more "dangerous" than Thailand, but I have never been kidnapped and held to ransom by the local plods....

Whats your point ?

[lee b]

are they trying to cripple this place??

[impulse]

Theory #15.

Some stoner at their hotel put his weed into his suitcase in the hotel holding area. But, being a stoner, he put it in the wrong suitcase.

I hear he's still looking for his weed.

Edited August 26, 2013 by impulse

[bangkokheat]

if i had left my luggage with hotel staff i would be running a qwik check thru the bag before i left the hotel.

If this was a regular scam you would have heard about it earlier or frequently, unless of course this is a new scam devised by the well oiled extraction machine

[saab]

Lucky they contacted the Embassy and not the Police

[Roachiebkk]

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

I too have flown many thousands of miles and lived and worked in many countries, some a lot more "dangerous" than Thailand, but I have never been kidnapped and held to ransom by the local plods....

Whats your point ?

Because it is all complete crap...that being the point

[phosphorescent]

Conspiracy theory #7,462- They got spooked at the airport because they thought someone was onto them for carrying weed. They made a run for it and decided to call the Australian embassy the first chance they got to create an alibi in case the law was in hot pursuit.

[chooka]

Lesson learnt: Do not be rude to hotel staff, it may backfire.

I don't think they were rude to hotel staff, actually she said in her interview that the staff were lovely, nice smiles and very friendly.

[chooka]

i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

If I found a suspicious substance in my luggage, the Thai Police or Thai Airport Security would be the last people I would call ..... heck, they wouldn't even be on the list.

.................and absolutely the last thing I would do is attempt to go through any type of security clearance.

The way I'm reading it, this couple did exactly the right thing. To hell with the expense of another flight, you have to anything, everything in your power to get out of this. I can't see how this couple could have done any better in these horrible circumstances.

As the lady said this wasn't their 1st holiday in Thailand and they have heard all the stories prior.

[Jasun]

Checking into a hotel, washing bags and showering for 2 days. Sounds like paranoia, wondering how much got binned.

[chooka]

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

I too have flown many thousands of miles and lived and worked in many countries, some a lot more "dangerous" than Thailand, but I have never been kidnapped and held to ransom by the local plods....

Whats your point ?

I 2nd that..

[Tywais]

Checking into a hotel, washing bags and showering for 2 days. Sounds like paranoia, wondering how much got binned.

Even paranoids can have enemies. Sounds like they are more clued in than the average tourist to me.

[Soutpeel]

i wouldnt go to a local hotel to check in to check what happened, but check on the spot what is wrong.

could call the airport security or police, i dont see what it different from that calling police from the hotel.

If I found a suspicious substance in my luggage, the Thai Police or Thai Airport Security would be the last people I would call ..... heck, they wouldn't even be on the list.

.................and absolutely the last thing I would do is attempt to go through any type of security clearance.

The way I'm reading it, this couple did exactly the right thing. To hell with the expense of another flight, you have to anything, everything in your power to get out of this. I can't see how this couple could have done any better in these horrible circumstances.

As the lady said this wasn't their 1st holiday in Thailand and they have heard all the stories prior.

Which of course could also discredit TV finest conspiracy theorist stating this was the girls "private stash"....if they had travelled around Thailand enough previously, they wouldnt need to carry weed on a plane, they would know it would be possible to pick up a spliff or three in Phuket and even know were to get it...

[chooka]

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

I too have flown many thousands of miles and lived and worked in many countries, some a lot more "dangerous" than Thailand, but I have never been kidnapped and held to ransom by the local plods....

Whats your point ?

Because it is all complete crap...that being the point

Why would they call their family back home and tell them this story if it is complete crap? Remember they didn't make it public so what is their motive? The only people they contacted was the Embassy and family back in Australia.

I guess the Italian story is complete crap also.

[pedro01]

Conspiracy theory #7,462- They got spooked at the airport because they thought someone was onto them for carrying weed. They made a run for it and decided to call the Australian embassy the first chance they got to create an alibi in case the law was in hot pursuit.

Well - if you are going to lay down the gauntlet....

The two Aussies are not only users, not only sellers but also growers. They had 50kg of weed in each bag which they could carry only because of the massive doses of anabolic steroids they take to enhance their drug mule-muscles. After a night out on top quality cocaine they purchased from the Bangkok branch of FARC, they got to the airport in a state of extreme paranoia. They decided to throw the weed away but made up the story on the offchance some was still left - in a pocket or something.

One of Thai Visas better conspiracy theory that one. Can anyone top it?

Edited August 26, 2013 by pedro01

[Thai at Heart]

Huh? Bangkok customs would have been the ones to make the arrest. They avoided Bangkok customs by going to the Hotel

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

Well funnily, going through Bangkok after 100s of flights, last week, for the first time, someone had opened the lock on my Samsonite. It had key locked the corners, but someone had opened the combination.

Who knows?

[Thai at Heart]

Checking into a hotel, washing bags and showering for 2 days. Sounds like paranoia, wondering how much got binned.

Yeah it's great until your are surrounded by 10 blokes in skin tight brown uniform pointing at you.... Or worse spirited out of the airport for a discussion in a hotel. King power anyone?

[Soutpeel]

Conspiracy theory #7,462- They got spooked at the airport because they thought someone was onto them for carrying weed. They made a run for it and decided to call the Australian embassy the first chance they got to create an alibi in case the law was in hot pursuit.

Well - if you are going to lay down the gauntlet....

The two Aussies are not only users, not only sellers but also growers. They had 50kg of weed in each bag which they could carry only because of the massive doses of anabolic steroids they take to enhance their drug mule-muscles. After a night out on top quality cocaine they purchased from the Bangkok branch of FARC, they got to the airport in a state of extreme paranoia. They decided to throw the weed away but made up the story on the offchance some was still left - in a pocket or something.

One of Thai Visas better conspiracy theory that one. Can anyone top it?

being human trafficker's smuggling Burmese back into Aussie for the sex trade..?

[wwex]

thats the price we pay for the prison nation state system. when I return to my home country Im strip searched every time. for what? I have no idea but its unpleasent and unneccasary. Im completely happy with being searched for weapons etc before getting on a plane and I realize some countries want to keep out animal products etc for valid reasons but the whole drug thing and seaching thru diaries etc is blown way out of proportion.

[ozzibitch]

Maybe the couple read some of your informative postings making them smart travellers

[Soutpeel]

Yep, think it's absolutely panic stricken bull****. Innocent people thinking some evil force is out there to do them harm. Working in tourism and having flown countless and more often than not dodgy flights I may have had my bags tampered with but never ever had anything added to my bags.

I too have flown many thousands of miles and lived and worked in many countries, some a lot more "dangerous" than Thailand, but I have never been kidnapped and held to ransom by the local plods....

Whats your point ?

Because it is all complete crap...that being the point

whats all crap ?.....are you suggesting the Itailans and BiB had a misunderstanding...?....they werent being held to ransom and the BiB were just trying to show them a nice hotel they my like to stay in and took them their as a public service ?

[bunnydrops]

There is no evidence that the drugs were planted to demand a bribe from the victims. Using unsuspected travelers is a well known way to smuggle things. A scarry expeirence nonetheless, as the consequences for them when caught would have been very serious"

True--no evidence, but a "hand full" doesn't sound like a drug gang--- just enough to get you busted.

Edited August 26, 2013 by Tywais
Fixed quote

[Wat dee]

There is no evidence that the drugs were planted to demand a bribe from the victims. Using unsuspected travelers is a well known way to smuggle things. A scarry expeirence nonetheless, as the consequences for them when caught would have been very serious.

Handful of weed! Not really worth the effort if just using innocent as mule.

[lemonjelly]

so...which one of the hotel staff has a bf working on customs/police at the airport?

[lemonjelly]

There is no evidence that the drugs were planted to demand a bribe from the victims. Using unsuspected travelers is a well known way to smuggle things. A scarry expeirence nonetheless, as the consequences for them when caught would have been very serious.

you should get a job with the TAT Mario..... they'll love you.

[EyesWideOpen]

This is so cool !!!!! The police are probably suffering from a bit of an image problem after their little snafu with kidnapping the Italians. So now to make amends, they now have hotel staff who are affiliated with the police

put free drugs into the bags of tourists on the way to the airport. However it is a bit of a tricky game, because if

you discover the drugs before you get to the airport, pow !!! you get them free. However if you fail to see the

planted drugs, you will be apprehended at the airport and will have the crap fined out of you....... So be sure

you play the game correctly...

[daiwill60]

The thing is with a story like this is, do the people doing the planting of dodgy goods on innocent strangers actually know who will be searching the bags when they get to the airport, answer, probably not. So if these people doing the planting of said goods are to gain from this, then How ? Unless ALL the airport security staff are in on it.

Very bad news if this sort of thing is happening anywhere,.

What would have happened if they did get through security?

Would the planters have someone at their destination waiting to remove the drugs from these people, not knowing where these travellers would be heading, Probably not.

So all in all, it is obviously a home grown scam to extort money, and more black news for Thailand and its hope to encourage people to visit.

Another thought has crossed my mind too. If these people were experienced travellers, that then only spotted the problem of tampering with their luggage , why did they not see or check it before they left the hotel ????

Edited August 26, 2013 by daiwill60

[Spoonman]

How does a handful of marry jane put your bag over weight ?

They flight was from Phuket to BKK yet they checked into the Novatel in BKK to check the bags (and then found the smoko)..... they also cleaned all their clothes at the hotel in BKK..........

I reckon they are full of <deleted>.