Investigators in Thailand and Australia say they have identified the person who paid a Thai flight attendant 8,800 baht (US$240) to smuggle heroin into Melbourne, as the two countries widen their probe into the network behind the case.
The 26 year old airline worker, named only as Meena, was arrested at Melbourne Airport on June 25 after Australian Border Force officers found heroin worth an estimated US$500,000 hidden inside her luggage. A court later denied her bail, with her next hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court set for September 14.
Pol Capt Suriya Singhakamol, secretary-general of Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board, said on July 1 that ONCB officials had met with the Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police to exchange intelligence on the case.
Suriya said the two agencies had shared information but declined to reveal specifics, as officers want to use the intelligence to trace the wider network before suspects are alerted. He said the case had caused serious damage to both countries.
The luggage search that led to the arrest followed standard procedure, under which airline crew are routinely asked to declare items before flights. When it was Meena’s turn, she offered up 12 bags for inspection. Officers found heroin among them and took her into custody.
Suriya said the intelligence exchange had also given officers new details about the people who sent the parcels, describing a network involving several individuals working together. Meena had also told officers that someone was waiting to meet her in Melbourne to collect the parcels.
Investigators say they now know who transferred the 8,800 baht courier fee to Meena, though they have not disclosed the person’s identity or nationality. Suriya said further arrests connected to the network were expected within one or two days.
Suriya added that the prime minister has made the case, and the broader issue of cross-border drug trafficking, a top priority. The case has been placed on the agenda for an ONCB board meeting on Friday, July 3, which the prime minister will chair in person to order tighter inspection measures, including more thorough X-ray baggage screening.
An Australian Border Force representative said Australia and Thailand have a long-standing law enforcement relationship, and thanked the ONCB secretary-general for taking part in discussions on shared regional security threats, reported Amarin TV.
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