Thai customs authorities have arrested a South African man after he allegedly attempted to smuggle 17.5 kilograms of heroin concealed in coffee and green tea b...
Thai customs authorities have arrested a South African man after he allegedly attempted to smuggle 17.5 kilograms of heroin concealed in coffee and green tea bags while travelling through Thailand.
The Customs Department of Thailand said the suspect was arrested on 9 July 2026 during an inspection carried out by its Investigation and Suppression Division. Authorities said the heroin was discovered during a search of the man’s luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
According to the department, the South African passenger had travelled from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia and was transiting through Thailand before continuing to Ivato International Airport in Madagascar.
Advertisement
In a statement, the Customs Department said the seized drugs were hidden inside coffee and green tea bags. Authorities estimated the heroin had a value of more than 7.3 million baht.
The department said heroin is classified as a Category 1 narcotic under Thai law. It added that if the drugs had reached Madagascar, their estimated value would have exceeded 22.75 million baht.
Authorities said the suspect is accused of importing a Category 1 narcotic into Thailand without permission, an offence under the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and the country’s Narcotics Code.
Following the announcement, social media users reacted to the arrest. One user wrote, “There are good South Africans. The bad ones make us all look bad.” Another commented, “Drug trafficking by choice is the dumbest decision ever.”
The latest arrest comes a month after Thai customs authorities arrested a South African woman who was allegedly attempting to smuggle 16 kilograms of heroin concealed inside bags of pet food.
According to the Customs Department, the woman was travelling from Phuket International Airport to Entebbe International Airport in Uganda when officers from the Investigation and Suppression Division and Phuket Airport Customs inspected her luggage. Authorities said they recovered 16,000 grams of heroin, valued at more than 48 million baht, with an estimated street value of over 96 million baht if it had reached its intended destination.
The Customs Department said the alleged offence involved exporting a Category 1 narcotic without permission, in violation of the Customs Act and the Narcotics Code. Investigations into both cases are continuing.
