The arrest was made at the airport’s international departures terminal on Tuesday (July 7) after officials identified two suspicious suitcases belonging to Salma El Khnati, 21, a Belgian national.
A search of the luggage uncovered 12 vacuum-sealed bags containing 28.3kg of cannabis flowers and eight bags containing 3.4kg of processed cannabis, with a combined weight of about 31.7kg.
According to authorities, the suspect admitted the suitcases and their contents belonged to her.
She was charged with attempting to export goods from Thailand without completing customs procedures, in violation of the Customs Act, along with offences relating to cannabis under the Narcotics Code, the Thai Traditional Medicine Protection and Promotion Act, the Ministry of Public Health’s regulations governing controlled cannabis, and other relevant laws.
The suspect and the seized cannabis were handed over to Sakhu Police for further legal action.
Sakhu Police Chief Col Salan Santisasanakul said the arrest resulted from increased cooperation between security agencies and Customs officials to strengthen inspections of passengers and baggage at Phuket International Airport.
He said authorities would continue to intensify screening measures to prevent the illegal export of controlled goods and warned that offenders would face prosecution under the law.
The arrest comes less than a week after two Uzbek nationals were caught at Phuket Airport attempting to smuggle a combined 31.5kg of cannabis products out of Thailand.
The two men, both aged 26, were arrested on July 1 after X-ray screening of their luggage revealed cannabis flowers, cannabis resin and processed cannabis concealed inside their suitcases.
Authorities said the latest arrest reflects intensified inspections at Phuket airport as officials continue cracking down on attempts to illegally export cannabis following tighter regulations governing the plant.