A Turkish man has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after Thai Customs officers allegedly found around 12 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside coffee bags and chocolate packaging in luggage arriving from Brazil, the Customs Department said yesterday, June 27.
The department said officers from the Investigation and Suppression Division, working with the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), inspected the luggage of a Turkish passenger who arrived on a flight from São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil.
During the inspection, officers allegedly discovered approximately 12 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden inside bags of coffee and chocolate packaging. Customs estimated the seized drugs to be worth around 36 million baht.
The accused was taken into custody and the suspected drugs were seized before the case was handed to investigators from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for legal proceedings and further investigation into any wider criminal network.
According to the Customs Department, cocaine is classified as a Category 2 narcotic under Thai law. The alleged offences fall under the Customs Act 2017 and Thailand’s Narcotics Code, carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 1.5 million baht, or both upon conviction.
Khaosod reported that the department had seized drugs and psychotropic substances in 214 cases between October 1, 2025 and June 25, 2026, resulting in the arrest of 53 suspects. The total value of the seized drugs exceeded 692 million baht.
Methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth or “ice”, accounted for the largest number of cases, the greatest quantity seized and the highest total value during the period, according to the department.
Postal parcels and express courier shipments remained the most common smuggling route, accounting for 76.6% of all cases. Customs also reported a continued increase in attempts to smuggle new psychotropic substances, including zopiclone, a prescription sleeping medication, and etomidate, an anaesthetic.
The department said it has strengthened inspections by expanding the use of scanning technology and K-9 detection dogs, while increasing intelligence-sharing and cooperation with domestic and international agencies.
It also urged the public to avoid involvement with illegal drugs and psychotropic substances and to report suspected offences to the authorities.
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