No evidence yet Thai Airways flight attendant knew of hidden heroin: Investigators

Thai investigators probing the arrest of a TG cabin crew member in Australia for alleged heroin smuggling say that evidence gathered so far suggests she may not have knowingly participated in the trafficking operation.

Areepak Ngernbamroong, spokesperson for the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), said investigators have yet to determine whether the woman knew the tote bags she was carrying contained heroin.

"The evidence available at this stage does not allow us to conclude that she intended to commit an offence," Areepak said.

She said a deliveryman, identified only as Uthai, told investigators that delivering the package to the flight attendant was the first time he had delivered anything to her.

Investigators also interviewed the flight attendant's boyfriend, who said they had opened every tote bag before packing them into her suitcase but found nothing suspicious inside. Believing it was a routine work trip, they zipped the bags shut and packed them for her flight.

The luggage also passed X-ray screening at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Investigators also found that the woman had only a few thousand baht in her bank account. Authorities are reviewing payments linked to the delivery arrangement, including two transfers of 1,700 baht each, rather than the previously reported payment of 8,800 baht.

It was earlier reported that the flight attendant had declared the items in her luggage to Australian border officials before a sniffer dog detected the concealed heroin.

"If our investigation ultimately finds that she was not involved in the drug trafficking, we will provide all the evidence to the Australian investigators through the Thai Embassy so it can be used in the legal proceedings," Areepak said, noting that, as a Thai national, she is entitled to government assistance.

She added that the woman has not been charged in Thailand. She is currently being held in Australia pending legal proceedings and is scheduled to appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 14.

Areepak said Thai authorities are expanding their investigation into what they believe is a transnational drug trafficking network operating from the Golden Triangle through Thailand to Australia.

Investigators have linked the case to several recent heroin seizures in Bangkok involving about 26 kilograms of the drug.

According to Areepak, the syndicate sends narcotics either by post or through hand-to-hand couriers.

Uthai told investigators that he had previously delivered packages three or four times after receiving instructions from foreign nationals, but the delivery to the flight attendant was the first he had made to her.

Authorities believe the network targets cabin crew and other frequent international travellers through fake social media accounts.

Areepak said the intended recipient in Australia was identified only as "Dear", a Thai national believed to have lived in Australia for more than a decade.

Thai authorities are also investigating the operators of a Facebook account named "Rose Rose", which they believe may have been used to recruit couriers.