KOH SAMUI — Immigration police in Surat Thani have arrested two Lebanese tourists with multiple types of narcotics at Buffalo Jungle restaurant in Maret subdistrict, Koh Samui, on Saturday.
Mr. Ehab, 38, and Mr. Chady, 28, face charges of illegal possession of Category 1 narcotics (ecstasy and methamphetamine), Category 2 narcotics (ketamine and cocaine), and Category 5 narcotics (psilocybin mushrooms).
Police Lt. Col. Songhprod Sirisukha revealed that authorities obtained a court-approved search warrant for the foreign-owned establishment after receiving intelligence about drug trafficking activities. Undercover officers successfully purchased narcotics from Chady, who identified himself as the restaurant manager.
During the subsequent raid, officers discovered Ehab resting in another room and extended the search to his quarters. The search yielded ecstasy, methamphetamine, ketamine, cocaine, and psilocybin mushrooms packaged in clear plastic bags for distribution, along with digital scales for drug weighing and portioning.
Authorities also seized one bulletproof vest – classified as controlled military equipment – from Ehab’s possession. He lacked proper authorization for the vest and admitted to purchasing it from an online retailer.
The search expanded to other rooms within the Buffalo Jungle restaurant complex, where officers discovered a large safe in a two-story building across from the main restaurant. Inside the safe, police found acupuncture needles, boxes, glass cups, and vacuum cylinders used for cupping therapy treatments.
Ehab claimed to be a licensed doctor from abroad, asserting his qualifications to perform acupuncture and cupping therapy on tourists. However, authorities confiscated the medical equipment as evidence while investigating his credentials.
Urine tests conducted on Chady returned positive results for narcotics. He admitted to using drugs approximately one day before his arrest. Ehab refused to submit to drug testing despite officers presenting their official Narcotics Suppression Bureau identification cards, constituting disobedience of lawful orders from narcotics control officers.
Both suspects have been transferred to Bo Phut Police Station investigators for prosecution on all charges.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign nationals operating illegal businesses and engaging in unlicensed medical practices in popular Thai tourist destinations.
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