Travelling alone, Cornel arrived on Malaysia Airlines flight MH786 from KL at 9:55 in the morning.
A Customs official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Phuket News that Cornel was picked out of the passengers because Customs had received a tip-off that a Filipino carrying drugs from India would arrive in Phuket on Friday.
“New Delhi is one of the targets we are currently focusing on as a drug transit centre,” the official added.
During initial questioning Cornel denied any knowledge of the drugs, saying that he had no idea how the consignment – with a street value of B24 million – had got into his bags.
He was sent to Bangkok under guard for further questioning.