Another Thai flight attendant approached the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), saying he may have unknowingly transported parcels containing concealed drugs from Phuket to Australia almost 10 times.
The disclosure follows the arrest of Thai flight attendant, Mina, in Australia in June, which prompted a wider investigation into a drug trafficking network operating between Thailand, Laos and Australia.
Authorities have since arrested four additional suspects in Thailand, including a Thai-Laotian couple, Arthit and Thatsaporn, and two couriers, Uthai and Pae.
According to investigators, the accused transported drugs from Laos into Thailand before delivering them to Mina, who carried the parcels to Australia while working as a flight attendant. Officials also identified the intended recipient in Australia as a Thai woman who has lived there for more than 10 years.
As the investigation expanded, another Thai flight attendant voluntarily met with ONCB officers to provide information.
He said he previously offered shopping courier services similar to those provided by Mina. He told investigators that Arthit, Thatsaporn and Uthai had hired him on nearly 10 occasions to transport clothing from Phuket to Australia.
He said it was only after Mina’s arrest that he began to suspect the clothing he had delivered may have concealed drugs. He recalled that some garments appeared to have unusual tailoring and repeated stitching.
The flight attendant said that he had never suspected that the parcels contained illegal substances, and he insisted that he had no intention of being involved in drug trafficking.
ONCB Secretary-General Suriya Singhakamon provided an update on the investigation yesterday, July 7, saying officers have identified suspects involved at each stage of the trafficking operation.
Suriya said the investigation is linked to heroin seizures at four locations in Bangkok involving shipments destined for Australia and Taiwan. According to the ONCB, people who travelled frequently, including flight attendants, were recruited as couriers.
He added that investigators expect at least two key suspects in Laos to be arrested by next week. The pair are believed to be the source of the drugs and the people who transferred money to Mina for the courier work.
Suriya also said the Thai woman in Australia did not act alone. Investigators identified two to three additional people in Australia who are allegedly connected to the operation.
Mina is scheduled to appear before an Australian court on September 14. Authorities have not determined whether she knowingly transported the drugs or was deceived into carrying them. The court will consider the available evidence before deciding how the case proceeds.
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