A British tourist has been arrested in Thailand on suspicion of attempting to smuggle nearly 10 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine out of the country. The 29-year-old man was taken into custody at the Le Fenix hotel in Bangkok's red-light district on Monday evening.
Police say the suspect received 9.15kg of methamphetamine from another British national at the hotel. Officers swooped after tracking the suspects for several days. In a video of the arrest, the man can be heard telling police he had been in Thailand for two weeks and claiming he did not know what was in his suitcase. However, officers found 10 green foil bags of Chinese tea concealing the drugs.
The British national allegedly told police he received the meth in a pink suitcase from a drug runner named 'Snoopy' and was paid 20,000 Thai baht (£460) for his role. He was due to fly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to an undisclosed destination, where another gang member was to meet him.
Lieutenant Colonel Noppha Thongbo from Lumpini district station confirmed the arrest and said the suspect would appear at Bangkok South Criminal Court on Wednesday. Colonel Siranawitcha Intorn of the Metropolitan Police Bureau said the man had been charged with distributing Category 1 narcotics with intent to sell, describing the offence as 'very serious' and part of a cross-border smuggling network.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it was in contact with Thai authorities following the arrest. Thailand is a major transit hub for methamphetamine, much of which is produced in neighbouring Myanmar.
