Justice Minister Orders Airport Crackdown on Drug Smuggling
Thailand's Justice Ministry has ordered airports to intensify drug smuggling crackdowns with upgraded screening equipment and K9 units, following major heroin and cannabis trafficking cases to Australia and Taiwan.
Justice Minister Rutthapol Nanwarat announced on July 13, 2025, that the National Drug Control Board and the Office of Narcotic Enforcement are intensifying efforts to track all drug-related cases, particularly the Airmina case. The Airports of Thailand (AOT) has upgraded inspection equipment and K9 units for international travelers and crew, while banning crew from side income through cargo smuggling and implementing random bag checks.
General Suriya Singhamoal, secretary of the National Drug Control Board, reported ongoing progress in heroin smuggling cases to Australia and cannabis cases to Australia and Taiwan, with arrests made across smuggling networks. In the Airmina case, Australian police have intensified operations and traced suspects to the source, though the alleged ringleader has fled abroad. The investigation remains incomplete, as higher-level orchestrators have not yet been identified, though authorities from the Royal Thai Police, the Drug Control Board, and the Special Investigation Department continue collaborating. Suriya warned that both professional couriers and students unknowingly become involved in international smuggling operations, which violates customs law with penalties up to 10 years imprisonment and fines based on cargo value.
