Thai officials inspect seven pieces of luggage belonging to four British tourists and one Malaysian national, discovering a total of 140 kg of dried cannabis flowers, at Bo Phut Police Station in Koh Samui, Surat Thani province, on March 12, 2025.
KOH SAMUI — In a major drug smuggling bust, authorities at Samui International Airport seized 140 kilograms of dried cannabis flowers valued at approximately 4 million baht ($118,340) from four British nationals and one Malaysian citizen who were attempting to transport the contraband to London via Singapore.
On March 12, security officials at the international departure terminal detected suspicious items in seven pieces of luggage during the X-ray screening process. Airport staff immediately alerted Bo Phut Police Station officers and Koh Samui Customs officials, who detained the five foreign nationals for questioning.
Upon inspection, authorities discovered vacuum-sealed packages of dried cannabis flowers hidden inside all seven suitcases. The investigation revealed that two British men were transporting four suitcases containing 85.34 kilograms of cannabis, while two British women carried two suitcases with 35.8 kilograms. The Malaysian national was found with one suitcase containing 22.8 kilograms of the substance. During interrogation, the British men confessed they had been hired to transport the cannabis to London in exchange for debt forgiveness in the UK. The two British women stated they were promised £2,000 ($2,590) each for successfully delivering their packages to London. The Malaysian suspect admitted he was to receive 6,000 ringgit ($1,355) for delivering his suitcase to Singapore. All five suspects claimed Thai nationals had delivered the pre-packed suitcases to their hotels prior to their departure.
The suspects were charged with attempting to export goods that had not cleared customs procedures and violating Thailand’s Thai Traditional Medicine Protection and Promotion Act regarding controlled herbs (cannabis). The accused confessed to all charges and requested settlement through customs procedures, surrendering the seized items to the state. An official source revealed that cannabis smuggling operations from Thailand to the United Kingdom have increased significantly since Thailand relaxed its cannabis laws. Smuggling networks now frequently target smaller airports like Samui, which typically have less stringent security measures compared to major hubs like Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The source noted that dried cannabis flowers from Thailand can fetch several times their original value when sold in the UK market.
This case follows previous statements from Police Lieutenant General Krittapol Yeesakorn, Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, who had warned about multiple cases of foreign nationals attempting to smuggle cannabis flowers abroad, taking advantage of gaps in Thailand’s cannabis control laws which permit possession and transportation within Thailand…. rewrite the article
