In a recent collaboration between British and Thai authorities, it was revealed that British nationals have been recruited to smuggle cannabis into the UK in exchange for free holidays to Thailand. The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) confirmed that the British ambassador to Thailand, Mark Gooding, met with officials from the UK’s National Crime Agency last month to discuss the growing issue of cannabis smuggling from Thailand.
The UK officials disclosed that drug traffickers have been targeting individuals through the Telegram messaging app, offering them free trips to Thailand along with pocket money in return for transporting cannabis back to the UK. This alarming tactic is part of a larger smuggling operation, which has seen a significant rise in cannabis seizures, with hundreds of kilograms intercepted this year.
Meanwhile, Thai authorities continue to tackle other drug-related offenses. On Monday, authorities seized a parcel containing 210 grams of a precursor chemical for producing ecstasy, which had been shipped from the UK to a British and Dutch man living in Bangkok. The two men, who had arrived in Thailand as tourists four months ago, are believed to have been involved in sourcing cannabis for smuggling operations.
The cannabis, which was concealed in parcels labeled as containing pillows, was intercepted before it could be mailed back to Britain. The ONCB’s efforts to combat this issue are heightened by the country’s cannabis legalization in June 2022, making the trafficking of cannabis a major concern for both Thai and British authorities.
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