Heroin found hidden in Thai silk destined for Australia

Police have intercepted more than six kilogrammes of heroin, valued at up to 24 million baht on the international black market, hidden inside the lining of Thai silk garments destined for Australia.

Pol Maj Gen Sinlert Sukhum, the Phuket police commander, and Pol Col Somsak Thongkliang, chief of Vichit Provincial Police Station, announced the seizure of 6,198 grammes of the Class 1 narcotic during a press conference on Wednesday.

The heroin was discovered meticulously sewn into the linings of 48 Thai silk outfits. The garments were packed into two large sacks at a private courier company, ready for export to Australia.

The investigation began on April 30, when authorities received intelligence regarding a suspicious shipment sent from Chiang Khan district in Loei province to Sakhu sub-district in Phuket’s Thalang district.

The breakthrough occurred on May 2, when the individual named as the recipient of the package grew suspicious. The person had reportedly been hired via Facebook to forward the silk garments abroad. Fearing the contents might be illegal, the recipient handed the packages over to the police at Vichit Provincial Police Station for inspection, leading to the discovery of the illegal narcotics.

Pol Maj Gen Sinlert stated that the seizure is part of a broader crackdown coordinated with the Narcotics Suppression Bureau. He warned the public to be extremely cautious of lucrative offers on social media to transport or forward goods abroad.

"In some cases, individuals are hired to send items without knowing they contain contraband," Pol Maj Gen Sinlert said. "We urge everyone to thoroughly verify any items they are asked to handle, to avoid becoming unwitting suspects in drug trafficking cases," he added.

Pol Col Somsak noted that the sender, identified only by the initial "S" from Loei, is currently the subject of an expanded investigation into the network behind the shipment.

According to police, the heroin has a local street value of approximately 2.4 million baht (roughly 400,000 baht/kg). Once successfully smuggled into Australia, however, the market price can rise tenfold, bringing the total estimated value of the haul to 24 million baht on the street abroad.