A Russian man has been arrested and illegal drugs seized from his room in Hua Hin town of Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
The arrest followed the seizure of a parcel containing 840 grammes of mephedrone on June 24, Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) secretary-general Pol Lt Gen Panurat Lakboon said on Saturday. He did not disclose the name of the suspect.
Customs officials found that the suspected parcel sent from Poland contained capsules filled with light brown powder. The substance was sent to the ONCB for laboratory testing, which confirmed it to be mephedrone, a Category 1 drug. Mephedrone stimulates the nerves and has psychedelic effects like methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy.
According to Pol Lt Gen Panurat, mephedrone had been detected by the ONCB five years ago, and it might be used as an ingredient for a synthetic stimulant known as bath salts.
An extended investigation led to the arrest of the Russian man when he came to pick up the parcel on Friday.
Police searched his room in tambon Thab Tai and found many types of drugs in small quantities. They included 14 grammes of methamphetamine, 290 grammes of MDMA, 149 ecstasy pills, 67 lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) stamps, 506 grammes of cocaine, 609 grammes of ketamine and 300 grammes of mephedrone.
Police said the suspect was responsible for collecting parcels containing illicit drugs sent from abroad. They were stored in his room before being delivered to other locations on orders from the alleged mastermind behind the smuggling operation.
The suspect claimed that he received payments in digital currencies.
Pol Lt Gen Panurat said new types of drugs have been smuggled into Thailand via parcels from the United States and European countries. Candies mixed with drugs and "happy water", which is an illicit drug cocktail, were first smuggled into the country in 2021 and were initially found in Bangkok and Chon Buri, he added.
A parcel sent from Poland contains capsules filled with mephedrone, a Category 1 drug.
