
SA KAEO - A Thai woman was arrested and 6 kilogrammes of smuggled cocaine seized as she re-entered Thailand from Cambodia through the Aranyaprathet immigration checkpoint on Tuesday morning.
Chamaiporn Singthong, 30, was caught at the checkpoint by facial recognition technology. She was identified as a wanted suspect in a drug case, Sa Kaeo provincial immigration office superintendent Pol Col Naphatpong Suphaporn said.
She admitted to being that person and was detained for a search and further investigation, he said.
In her suitcase, police found 656 small packages of cocaine inside four large rag dolls. There was at least 6 kilogrammes in total, worth about 16 million baht, Pol Col Naphatthapong said.
Ms Chamaiporn allegedly told police her Nigerian husband was paying her 100,000 baht to smuggle the drug. She had taken a flight from Qatar to Phnom Penh, and then public transport to Poipet, where she crossed the border into this eastern province.
The suspect allegedly said there were two other people involved in the smuggling operation. One was her husband. The drugs were destined for the Bangkok area, to be sold in entertainment venues for 2,500 baht per gram.
Pol Col Naphatthapong said it was the biggest such arrest at the Aranyaprathet checkpoint. The case had been passed to Narcotics Board Region 2 officers for prosecution.
The investigation was being expanded, he said.
Thirteen people were arrested in Bangkok's Phra Khanong district over the weekend for selling cocaine to tourists along Sukhumvit Road - 11 were from countries in Africa, including Nigeria, and two were Thais.