South African arrested in Thailand with 17.5kg heroin hidden in coffee, tea bags

Heroin

Bangkok – A South African man has been arrested at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport after authorities allegedly found 17.5kg of heroin concealed in bags of coffee and green tea.

According to The Citizen, the suspect was arrested on 9 July during a routine inspection by the Investigation and Suppression Division after arriving from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia.

He was reportedly travelling to Ivato International Airport in Madagascar when customs officials searched his luggage.

In a statement, Thailand’s Customs Department said: “The Customs Department, protecting society, arrested a foreign male passenger for smuggling 17.5 kilograms of heroin hidden in coffee and green tea bags, worth over 7.3 million baht [about R3.6 million].”

Officials added: “If the drugs had reached their destination in Madagascar, their value would have been over 22.75 million baht.”

The suspect faces charges under Thailand’s Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and the country’s Narcotics Code for the illegal importation of a Category 1 narcotic, crime activist Yusuf Abramjee reported.

Emphasising its commitment to combating drug trafficking, the Customs Department said: “This arrest underscores our commitment to protecting communities from the devastating impact of narcotics.”

 

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The suspect remains in custody while investigators pursue possible links to an international drug-smuggling network.

Thai authorities have intensified anti-narcotics operations in recent years, targeting both domestic drug syndicates and transnational trafficking networks operating through the country’s airports.

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