Police arrested a Bangladeshi woman at Phuket International Airport on Friday, February 27, after she was found with cocaine and counterfeit documents.
Officers from Phuket Airport Immigration detained the 26 year old Bangladeshi woman, whose name was not released, at the international departures terminal on Friday as she was preparing to board a flight back to Bangladesh.
According to a report posted on the Phuket Times Facebook page, officers found 0.48 grammes of cocaine in her possession. Police did not explain how the drugs were detected, but the substance was reportedly located inside a small purse.
Immigration officers also said the woman was carrying counterfeit documents and attempted to use them to travel out of Thailand.
She was transferred to Sakhu Police Station for further legal proceedings. Police said she was charged with possession of a Category 2 narcotic for personal use, an offence that carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
She was also charged with creating and using counterfeit documents, which carries penalties of six months to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 baht under Section 265 of the Criminal Code, according to the report.
The arrest follows other recent drug cases reported in Phuket. On February 17, four foreign suspects were arrested with more than 3.1 kilogrammes of cocaine, which police said was being offered to foreign tourists, particularly at entertainment venues.
In January, two Russian men were arrested at a property described as their “Mushroom Temple” in Rawai, Phuket, where 10 kilogrammes of magic mushrooms were seized. Police said the suspects offered the drug to clients along with spiritual guidance, claiming it helped relieve stress.
In December last year, Phuket administrative officers arrested a Thai man and a British national who were found with cocaine. The pair were reported to have been selling cocaine to foreign tourists near Patong Beach, with the case coming to police attention after locals reported the activity.
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