BANGKOK: Thai narcotics officials said initial information from Australian authorities indicated that heroin found in a case involving a Thai female airline crew member was hidden in only two of 12 bags inside a parcel, with one bag found to contain around 900g of drugs.
Police Major Suriya Singhakamol, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said on Wednesday (July 1) that Australian officials had cut open one of the bags to weigh the substance and found approximately 900g of suspected heroin.
He said officials initially believed the two bags together contained no more than 2kg of drugs, but added that Thai authorities were still waiting for official laboratory results from Australia.
ONCB awaits official lab results
The update came after a Thai female airline crew member was arrested by Australian authorities after heroin was allegedly found hidden in her luggage.
Suriya said the ONCB had been coordinating closely with the Australian Federal Police to expand the investigation and dismantle the transnational drug-trafficking network believed to be behind the shipment.
According to information shared with Thai authorities, the parcel contained 12 bags, but the drug network allegedly used a concealment method in which heroin was sealed and embedded inside the fabric of only two bags.
Rider who came forward cleared
The ONCB also gave an update on efforts to trace the delivery rider who brought the suspicious parcel.
Officials said one rider had voluntarily reported to the ONCB to declare his innocence. After examining evidence and carefully comparing CCTV footage, investigators confirmed that the rider was not the suspect who delivered the parcel containing the drugs.
The authorities found several differences between the rider who came forward and the person seen delivering the suspicious parcel.
The parcel believed to contain the heroin was delivered on June 22 shortly after noon, while the rider who came forward had delivered a different parcel on June 23 at around 5pm.
Officials also said the suspicious parcel was a large brown cardboard box, while the box delivered by the rider who came forward was a black plastic box.
The rider who reported to the authorities was wearing a yellow shirt and a white helmet, which did not match the suspect seen in CCTV footage, who was wearing a black helmet.
Hunt continues for real courier and online recruiter.
The ONCB said it had recorded the rider’s statement and thanked him for his cooperation.
Investigators are now continuing efforts to identify the actual delivery rider who brought the suspicious parcel, while also expanding the probe to locate the person who allegedly arranged the delivery through a Facebook group under the account name “Rose”.
Suriya said the ONCB was not relying solely on the Facebook profile information and was working to trace the real person behind the account.
Thai-Australian task force targets masterminds
The ONCB has integrated its investigation with other agencies, including the Customs Department, the Department of Special Investigation and the Australian Federal Police under the joint operation known as Task Force Storm.
On the afternoon of July 1, ONCB officials held talks with AFP representatives to exchange in-depth information on the case.
The authorities said the operation was aimed at identifying the major figures behind the network and bringing those involved in the suspected transnational drug-trafficking operation to justice.
Suriya also said drugs such as crystal methamphetamine, heroin and methamphetamine pills were not produced in Thailand, but were smuggled in from the Golden Triangle area in neighbouring countries.
However, he said the packaging process, including the concealment of drugs inside the fabric of bags, could have taken place either in a neighbouring country or in Thailand.
Investigators are now working to trace the route of this parcel shipment in detail. - The Nation/ANN
