Two Brazilians have been arrested and 7.4 kilogrammes of cocaine, worth about 22 million baht, seized at Suvarnabhumi airport.
Customs Department spokesman Phanthong Loykulnanta said customs investigators, the Airport Interdiction Task Force (AITF), the Office of Narcotics Control Board and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau were involved in the investigation and arrests.
The two passengers, a woman aged 26 and a man aged 27, were on a list of people suspected of trying to smuggle illicit drugs into Thailand. Their names were not released.
The couple travelled from Salvador International Airport in Brazil, transferring at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France, with Thailand as their destination.
When they arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport on Monday, customs officials and narcotics suppression police asked to search their luggage, Mr Phanthong said.
An X-ray showed suspicious items in their two suitcases. When opened for examination the suspect objects in both bags were found to be wrapped in black carbon paper.
Inside the carbon paper were clear plastic packages containing 7,400 grammes of cocaine in total. The drugs had an estimated street value of 22.2 million baht, the spokesman said.
The two suspects were charged with smuggling and illegal possession of category 2 narcotics in violation of the Narcotics Code, Customs Act and related laws.
Mr Phanthong said the Customs Department had seized illicit drugs worth 800.67 million baht in 140 cases from Oct 1 last year to May 6 this year.
A Brazilian woman, 26, and a Brazilian man, 27, their faces blurred by officials, are arrested and charged after cocaine is found hidden in their suitcases at Suvarnahumi airport. (Photo: Customs Department)