A Turkish national has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after Thai Customs officers allegedly discovered around 12 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden inside coffee bags and chocolate packaging in luggage arriving from Brazil, authorities said.
The Customs Department said the suspect was detained by officers from its Investigation and Suppression Division, working alongside the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), following an inspection of a passenger who had flown in from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport.
During the check, officers reportedly found the drugs concealed within food packaging, with the total seizure estimated to be worth about 36 million baht.
The suspect was taken into custody, and the seized substances were handed over to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for further investigation into possible links to wider trafficking networks.
Under Thai law, cocaine is classified as a Category 2 narcotic, with offences under the Customs Act 2017 and Narcotics Code carrying penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment, fines, or both upon conviction.
Authorities also noted that drug smuggling cases have remained significant, with hundreds of incidents recorded in recent months, involving various types of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Customs officials said enhanced screening measures, including scanning technology and K-9 units, are being used to strengthen border security and detect illegal shipments more effectively.
