PHUKET — Thai Customs Department officials have arrested an American woman for concealing methamphetamine (ice) in bed sheet sets at Phuket International Airport. The contraband weighed 4,300 grams including packaging and is valued at 1.29 million baht ($38,500).
Theeraj Attanawanich, Director-General of the Customs Department, revealed that on February 23, the Investigation and Suppression Division identified a high-risk American female passenger traveling from Phuket International Airport in Mai Khao, Thalang District, Phuket, Thailand to Singapore Changi International Airport. Officials suspected she was attempting to smuggle drugs out of the kingdom.
Authorities divided into two teams for the operation. The first team coordinated with airline staff to separate the suspect’s luggage and direct it to the oversized baggage area on the third floor of the international passenger terminal. The second team monitored the suspect in the international departure hall until they identified her matching the intelligence profile.
The second team tracked the passenger’s baggage and found a black soft-sided rolling suitcase with luggage tags matching the suspect’s name. Initial X-ray screening revealed suspicious objects with abnormal density inside the suitcase. Officials then identified themselves and conducted a thorough search of the luggage.
The search uncovered clothing, four bed sheet sets, and other belongings. Upon detailed examination of the bed sheets, officials noted they were unusually heavy. Inside, they discovered four rectangular packages wrapped in brown tape, carbon paper, brown paper, and clear plastic.
The packages contained cloudy white crystals that tested positive for methamphetamine (ice), a Category 1 narcotic, weighing 4,300 grams including packaging, valued at approximately 1.29 million baht.
This action constitutes an attempt to export Category 1 narcotics from the kingdom without permission and possession of Category 1 narcotics without authorization. Officials detained the female suspect and transferred her to Narcotics Suppression Bureau investigators for prosecution and further investigation to determine the source of the drugs.
The Customs Director-General added that officials are intensifying efforts to prevent and suppress drug trafficking in accordance with PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra administration’s policy. He has instructed officials to increase vigilance and continue cracking down on drug smuggling through all routes.
During the 2025 fiscal year, from October 1, 2024, to February 24, the Customs Department has seized Category 1 methamphetamine (ice) in 20 cases, with a total weight of approximately 1,719 kilograms valued at about 515.19 million baht ($15.4 million).
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