Phuket Airport customs officers nail drug mule with B7mn of ya ice

[webfact]

Phuket Airport customs officers nail drug mule with B7mn of ya ice
Phuket Gazette


Pornphat Wattanachaisen was arrested with 2kg of ya ice valued at 7mn baht. Photo: Phuket Customs

PHUKET: -- Customs officers at Phuket International Airport on Tuesday arrested a drug mule attempting to smuggle 7 million baht of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) from China into Phuket.

The 37-year-old woman, Pornphat Wattanachaisen, was on a watchlist for possible involvement in drug smuggling when she departed Bangkok to China, said Phuket Airport Customs Director Montira Cherdchoo.

“We learned that Ms Pornphat left Hong Kong on Tuesday via AirAsia Flight 2965. When she arrived to Phuket at about 11:30pm we presented ourselves as Customs officers and searched her luggage,” said Ms Montira.

“We found two kilograms what appeared to be ya ice hidden in her bag. After testing the substance to verify we were correct, charged her for possession and trafficking of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell.”

Ms Pornphat told officers that she was hired by a friend and her Nigerian husband to pick up the bag in Guangzhou, China, and transfer it to a person in Phuket, explained Ms Montira.

“Ms Pornphat has been handed over to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for further investigation,” she added.

Since late last year, five suspects have been arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs through Phuket Airport, including Ms Pornphat.

In November, Customers officers arrested a 37-year-old Indian woman, Aizawl Lalchhuanthangi, for attempting to smuggle 4.5kg of ya ice into Phuket from Delhi, India (story here).

In December, Customs officers arrested Romanian national, 57-year-old Pop Florin, after discovering more than 3kg of cocaine in his luggage (story here).

A Vietnamese man dressed as a monk, 64-year-old Nguyen Van Thiet, was apprehended in January with more than 2kg of ya ice as he arrived on an early flight into Phuket. The drugs had an estimated street value of about 8 million baht (story here).

Then, on March 1, officers arrested a woman who took the afternoon Silk Air Flight MI754 from Singapore headed for Phuket with 5,800 grams of ya ice, said Ms Montira.

“We continue to strictly screen Phuket visitors and keep an eye out for suspicious looking people,” she said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-Airport-customs-officers-nail-drug-mule-with-B7mn-of-ya-ice-27850.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-03-15

[ezzra]

Any picture with no finger pointing losses it's luster and it look like the picture of the

groom party in a pre wedding photo op...

[saakura]

Again there is a Nigerian connection. These guys are upto no good and should be watched carefully and questioned when entering as tourists.

[chooka]

Aren't the Thai streets awash with this stuff, why do you need to import it.

[rhythmworx]

Again there is a Nigerian connection. These guys are upto no good and should be watched carefully and questioned when entering as tourists.

I would take it a step further, tar everyone with the same brush and bar that nationality from entering the country full stop.

[CraigSchuler]

Good job!....I hope they catch all the players and lock em up. They know the out come if caught but their greed pushes them forward. I have no sympathy for any of these scum.

Hope they enjoy their stay!

[yanyk]

Again there is a Nigerian connection. These guys are upto no good and should be watched carefully and questioned when entering as tourists.

another very reckless and stupid generalization again. watched and question?? do you know why the two PEOPLE who boarded the missing Malaysian flight on a fake passport where able to do that? because they where nigerians..i just wonder how every dark skin guy gets checked and only this two where not checked..just because they are WHITY nigerians

[UKJASE]

Again there is a Nigerian connection. These guys are upto no good and should be watched carefully and questioned when entering as tourists.

I would take it a step further, tar everyone with the same brush and bar that nationality from entering the country full stop.

my mate is married to a lovely nigerian lady. he is a big lad. would you suggest this to him if you were to meet him?

i think it better you shut up

[winstonc]

Aren't the Thai streets awash with this stuff, why do you need to import it.

come on chooka thats a schoolboy error young sir ..its like the rice cheaper from abroard..

[Calimotty]

Again there is a Nigerian connection. These guys are upto no good and should be watched carefully and questioned when entering as tourists.

another very reckless and stupid generalization again. watched and question?? do you know why the two PEOPLE who boarded the missing Malaysian flight on a fake passport where able to do that? because they where nigerians..i just wonder how every dark skin guy gets checked and only this two where not checked..just because they are WHITY nigerians

Clean this despicable element out of Nana Now. One by One their time will come.

[simple1]

Regarding the posts concerning Nigerians in Thailand.

In 2011 there were 700 Nigerians incarcerated in Thai prisons. Nigerian drug smugglers have used Thailand as a base for many years for import/export of heroin & meth amphetamines. A number of reports of Nigerian sponsored Asian female drug mules into countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

In depth overview of Nigerian presence, legal and illegal activities, in Thailand at:

http://www.thailawforum.com/Nigerians-In-Thailand.html

Edited March 15, 2014 by simple1

[bangon04]

Regarding the posts concerning Nigerians in Thailand.

In 2011 there were 700 Nigerians incarcerated in Thai prisons. Nigerian drug smugglers have used Thailand as a base for many years for import/export of heroin & meth amphetamines. A number of reports of Nigerian sponsored Asian female drug mules into countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

In depth overview of Nigerian presence, legal and illegal activities, in Thailand at:

http://www.thailawforum.com/Nigerians-In-Thailand.html

Even a blind man walking around lower Sukhumvit would be forced to the conclusion that the Nigerians there are allowed to continue their "business" because it suits the Royal Thai Police to allow them to do so.

[SOTIRIOS]

......why don't we factor in the astronomical amounts of drugs that are intercepted...in the hands of Thais....

...I would think that the volume that Nigerians supposedly deal in is a fraction of a percent of this....

....2 kg....compared to pickup trucks full......