The woman, named as 41-year-old Shoila Rachmonova, was found to be carrying the drug in a total of eight plastic bags that had been concealed in a specially modified laptop bag and three mobile phones.
Officials confirmed the woman was travelling alone and had arrived in Phuket around 7:40am yesterday morning on a Qatar Airways flight from the Qatari capital of Doha.
Police had been tipped off that a “suspicious person” was aboard the flight and managed to apprehend Ms Rachmonova after a search by customs and immigration officials.
The arrest was led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Sermphan Sirikong, Phuket Provincial Police Chief, who was was joined by Pol. Col. Kantchawit, Superintendent of Sakhu Police Station and two Deputy Superintendents of Sakhu Police Station Pol. Lt. Col. Salaan Tantisasankul and Pol. Lt. Col. Supap Sae-Lim.
Following the detailed search of Ms Rachmonova’s luggage, officials confirmed they discovered the eight bags hidden in the laptop bag and three mobile phones.
Ms Rachmonova was taken to Sakhu police station where she will be charged with the illegal importation of cocaine, a category 2 narcotic, into the country and prosecuted in due course.