The arrest came after police received a tip-off that a woman on board a Nok Air flight from Bangkok to Phuket would be carrying drugs. The flight was expected to land at 7:25pm.
When the passengers departed the plane, police noticed a female who resembled the person mentioned in the tip-off so conducted a thorough search of her possessions. Inside her luggage they found four bags each containing 10 grams of ya ice hidden inside sanitary towels wrapped in underwear.
“We also found drug taking paraphernalia and digital scales in her bag,” said Pol Lt Gen Pravit Engchuan from Phuket City Police.
The woman, 28-year-old Chutima Somboonrit, told police that she was an officer in the Royal Thai Air Force’s Department of Electronic Communications. She also said that the drugs did not belong to her, but she had been paid B5,000 to deliver them.
Police contacted the Royal Thai Air Force who told them that Chutima had previously worked for them but had been dismissed a long time ago.
Chutima was taken to Tha Chatchai Police Station where she was charged with possession of a category one drug with intent to sell.
* UPDATE: The initial photo showing Chutima Somboonrit under arrest was removed at the request of Phuket Provincial Police.