Police Arrest Payao Man In Drug Trafficking Case Linked To Flight Attendant
Police arrested a 47-year-old Payao man on drug trafficking charges after Australian authorities intercepted a flight attendant carrying 900 grams of heroin at Melbourne Airport, leading investigators to trace the supply network back to Tha
On July 5, 2026, senior police officials jointly apprehended Nanthawat, a 47-year-old Payao resident, on charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin without authorization for commercial purposes. Evidence seized included seven fragments of Thai elephant-patterned fabric bags and 2 plastic bags containing white powder residue weighing 0.4 grams each, confirmed as heroin through preliminary testing.
The case originated on June 30, 2026, when the Australian Federal Police coordinated with Thai authorities regarding the arrest of Meena, a flight attendant, at Melbourne Airport carrying approximately 900 grams of heroin concealed in Thai elephant-patterned bags.
Through expanded investigation, police traced connections leading to Nanthawat's room in Ayutthaya province. Nanthawat confessed that he had received a black bag containing six heroin-filled elephant-patterned bags from a man named Uthai. After learning of the flight attendant's arrest in Australia, Nanthawat panicked and contacted Uthai, who instructed him to "handle it however necessary."
Fearing arrest, Nanthawat used a knife to destroy the bags, flushed the heroin powder down the toilet, and scattered the bag fragments in various locations across Ayutthaya province. Officers accompanied the suspect to recovery sites, discovering a black bag containing heroin-stained fabric fragments along Highway 4040 in Tha Ruea District. Preliminary analysis confirmed white residue on the fabric as heroin.
Police have formally arrested Nanthawat and referred him to the Narcotics Suppression Bureau for prosecution, with plans to pursue remaining network members.
