Police Arrest Drug Courier in Cross-Border Heroin Case

In a major breakthrough in an international drug trafficking case, police arrested a suspect using the alias "Rin Rin" on July 10, 2025, in Phayao province. The arrest is connected to the case of a Thai flight attendant who was apprehended in Australia with drug-filled luggage.

The Narcotics Suppression Command, alongside investigators and Phayao provincial police, apprehended Ekawit, the person operating under the alias "Rin Rin." He allegedly coordinated with a courier named Uthai and facilitated communications with the flight attendant to transport the suitcase to Australia.

During initial questioning, Ekawit admitted to being "Rin Rin" and communicating with the flight attendant through messaging applications to arrange the international luggage shipment. He also provided details about another suspect using the alias "Rose Rose," who had also contacted the attendant. Investigators are still determining whether "Rose Rose" is the same person or connected to the same trafficking network.

Following his arrest, police took Ekawit to a location in Chiang Kham district, Phayao province, to reconstruct the crime for the investigation file. He was then transferred to the Narcotics Suppression Command for further interrogation.

Meanwhile, senior narcotics officials traveled to the Phayao provincial police operation center to oversee the case progress and conduct additional questioning. On the same day, four major agencies—the National Anti-Corruption Commission Office, the Special Cases Investigation Department, the Narcotics Suppression Command, and the Metropolitan Police Command—held a joint meeting to share intelligence and plan further investigative steps. They created a network map of the international drug trafficking operation to identify and prosecute remaining members.