PHUKET: A 21-year-old Thai woman has been arrested at Phuket airport after security officials found 1.8 kilogramme of cocaine hidden in two boxes of chocolates in her possession upon her arrival from Dubai.
Officials estimated the drugs to be worth about 5.4 million baht.
Airport customs chief Hattaya Thipyawat and Phuket governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada announced the arrest at a news conference on Thursday afternoon.
“Oatchara Wikho, from Prachin Buri, was found in possession of the drugs when officers stopped and searched her during a routine security check,” Ms Hattaya said.
Ms Oatchara arrived on Emirates Flight EK394, which left Dubai on Wednesday night and arrived at Phuket airport at 4.15am on Thursday morning, Ms Hattaya said.
Custom officers searched her bags and discovered 100 packages of cocaine wrapped with chocolate covers.
“Some were mixed with actual chocolates in two boxes that were inside a duty-free bag that she was carrying,” Ms Hattaya said.
Ms Oatchara said she was hired by a man who she knew only as “Mr Michael” and had never met.
“She said he paid her 150,000 baht to take the chocolates to Phuket, but denied any knowledge that she was carrying drugs,” Ms Hattaya said.
“She said Michael instructed her on the phone to contact him after she had checked in to a hotel so he could arrange for someone to collect the chocolates,” she added.
Ms Oatchara was taken to Tha Chatchai police station and charged with possession of a Class 2 drug with intent to sell and smuggling a Class 2 drug into the kingdom.
