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Mules paid B10k to smuggle meth to Phuket

PHUKET: A couple arrested in a drug bust in Thepkrasattri earlier this week have told police they were paid B10,000 to transport nearly 200,000 methamphetamine (ya bah) pills into Phuket.

police
By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 11 April 2026 09:30 AM


 

Days after the arrests, police said both suspects confessed to carrying out the delivery for payment of B5,000 each.

Thalang Police have now released further details of the case, which followed a tip-off that narcotics were being transported from Surat Thani and temporarily stored at a rental property.

Officers arrived to find the man and woman carrying two suitcases into the building. A search revealed 199,600 ya bah pills and 0.92 grammes of crystal meth (ya ice) hidden inside.

The suspects, Kawin Sakkaew, 21, and Aranya Khwankaew, 28, were taken into custody and handed over to prosecutors for legal proceedings.

They face multiple charges, including possession and sale of a Category 1 narcotic, illegal possession of ya bah and ya ice, and drug use.

If convicted, they face imprisonment for up to 15 years and a fine of up to B1.5 million.

PHUKET TOWN RAID

In a separate operation on Wednesday (Apr 8), officials seized 46.09g of ya ice after finding drugs hidden in an unclaimed bag during a raid on a spa in Phuket Town.

Limited details were released about the operation, carried out by a special operations team from the Phuket City District Office.

During the inspection, officers noticed a black shoulder bag left unattended. When no one claimed it, they searched the bag and found the drugs, confirmed using a field test.

The seized drugs were handed over to Wichit Police. No arrests were reported.

Authorities said both operations form part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal activities and expand investigations into wider trafficking networks.