BANGKOK — 16 January 2026, Thai narcotics police have arrested a Taiwanese described as a key mastermind behind a transnational drug trafficking network, uncovering drugs concealed inside carpets and equipment allegedly prepared for export, authorities said.
The suspect, Chiang Ming Feng, 27, was arrested on 15 January 2026 at a condominium in the Asok area of Bangkok during a joint operation by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, the Immigration Bureau’s investigation division and the Metropolitan Police investigative unit.
Police said Chiang was the principal coordinator of an international drug trafficking ring and had fled foreign arrest warrants before entering Thailand. A search of his room uncovered about 5 grammes of ketamine and numerous suspicious items, including several large carpets, a sewing machine and sewing tools.
Investigators said the carpets had been stitched with multiple hidden compartments containing white powder resembling illicit drugs, packed in a manner suggesting preparation for overseas shipment. The substances are undergoing detailed forensic examination.
A deeper investigation found that Chiang allegedly served as the “brain” of the network, planning and directing drug shipments abroad. Authorities said the group converted heroin, a category 1 narcotic, into a white liquid resembling lotion, which was then concealed in fake containers with realistic packaging to evade detection. The parcels were allegedly sent overseas through international postal services.
Police said intelligence indicated that about two crates of liquid heroin, weighing roughly 10 kilogrammes in total, had been smuggled from Laos to Taiwan, leading investigators to identify Chiang as the organiser behind the operation.
Background checks showed that Chiang is wanted by Taiwanese authorities under four serious criminal charges: attempted murder, participation in a criminal organisation, fraud and theft.
Thai immigration officials have revoked his permission to stay in the country. He has been transferred to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for prosecution under Thai law, while authorities coordinate with domestic and foreign agencies, including those in Taiwan, to expand the investigation and pursue other members of the network.
Lt. Gen. Archayon Kraithon, commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said the arrest marked a significant success in dismantling a sophisticated transnational drug network.
He said authorities would continue expanding the investigation to prevent Thailand from becoming a safe haven for international criminal groups and would work closely with Taiwanese officials to ensure legal proceedings are carried out to their full extent.
