Thai authorities have arrested five Vietnamese nationals after uncovering heroin hidden inside outbound parcels destined for Australia, dismantling a key part of a drug trafficking network operating in Bangkok and Samut Prakan. The coordinated operation was carried out by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) and the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), who traced the parcels back to the suspects through swift investigative work.
The operation began when AITF officers inspected outgoing packages at the Suvarnabhumi Airport Free Zone. While scanning parcels marked for delivery to Australia, officers detected unusual characteristics in one cardboard box. A closer inspection revealed a concealed compartment carefully built into the packaging, inside which they found heroin. The hidden parcel held 1.52 kilograms of the drug.
Authorities immediately launched an investigation to track down those responsible for sending the package. Officers quickly identified the senders and moved in on their location. The first arrests involved two Vietnamese men who were found attempting to ship additional parcels at a post office inside a shopping mall in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao district. Officers discovered that the suspects were using the same concealment technique, and an additional 1.4 kilograms of heroin was seized from the parcels they were preparing to send.
As officers continued to survey the area, they identified two more Vietnamese nationals acting as lookouts inside the shopping mall. Both were arrested on the spot. The quick succession of arrests allowed investigators to broaden the operation and target additional locations linked to the group.
The investigation then led officers to three properties associated with the suspects, including condominiums in Samut Prakan and Bangkok. At the first location in Samut Prakan, police found two grams of ketamine. Although the amount was small, officers noted that the unit appeared to be used as a drop-off or transit point.
A second raid took place at a condominium in the Bang Na area, where another Vietnamese national was apprehended. This location yielded one of the largest drug hauls connected to the case. Inside, officers discovered 75 grams of ketamine, 107 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 1.7 kilograms of MDMA, 309 ecstasy pills, 230 grams of cocaine, and 380 grams of nimetazepam. The variety and quantity of narcotics indicated that the group was involved in more than just shipping heroin abroad.
Authorities believe the network was responsible for regularly sending drugs to Australia by disguising illegal substances inside everyday parcels. The concealment method involved creating false compartments within ordinary cardboard boxes to avoid detection during routine inspections.
The ONCB stated that the arrests represent a significant step in disrupting a wider international drug trafficking operation. Investigators are now examining communications, financial transfers, and travel records to determine whether additional members or foreign partners are involved.
All five suspects are currently in custody as police prepare to press multiple charges related to drug possession, trafficking, and attempted exportation of narcotics. Further updates are expected as the case expands and authorities continue to trace the network’s connections abroad.
