The three were named by police as Faith Wanza Musembi, 26, caught carrying about 1,620g of cocaine (weighed still in the packets); Nelly Gacheri Ruuri, 26, caught with about 765g; and Grace Wangari Karoki, 34, caught with about 472g of cocaine.
The three were placed under arrest yesterday (Sept 5) after officers had waited two days for the women to excrete the satchels of drugs.
Sakhu Police reported that the three women were first taken into custody after arriving in Thailand at Phuket International Airport on Sunday (Sept 3)
Sakhu Police had received a tip-off from officers from the Office of The Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) that the three women were arriving, and were suspected of carrying drugs with them.
Officers from the Saku Police joined officers from the ONCB and the ‘Airport Interdiction Taskforce’ (AITF) in apprehending them women, but found no drugs on them or in their luggage.
The three women were then taken to Thalang Hospital, where x-rays revealed the drug satchels the women had swallowed.
The women were detained and brought back to Phuket Airport Customs, then held until they had passed all the satchels from their bodies. All of the satchels contained cocaine.
During questioning all three women refused to cooperate in any way, Sakhu Police reported.
All three women were charged with bringing a Category 2 narcotic into the country without permission and illegal possession of a Category 2 narcotic without permission, both charges under the Narcotics Control Act.
The three women also face charges under Section 242 and Section 252 in conjunction with Section 166 and Section 167 of the Customs Act, officers noted.
The women were taken to Saku Police Station for further questioning and to be charged.