Taiwan Arrests Thai Woman Smuggling $3.6M in Heroin
Taiwan authorities arrested a 35-year-old Thai Muay Thai instructor at Kaohsiung Airport after she swallowed 72 heroin capsules worth $3.6 million to smuggle the drugs into the country. The woman spent ten days under hospital surveillance w
Taiwan authorities arrested a 35-year-old Thai woman, a Muay Thai instructor, after she attempted to smuggle a large quantity of heroin into the country by hiding it in her body. She swallowed 72 heroin capsules, which took ten days to pass naturally, with a total weight of 289.1 grams worth approximately 3.6 million Taiwan dollars.
Kaohsiung Customs officials received intelligence about drug smuggling and set up surveillance on the Thai woman in advance. When she arrived at Kaohsiung Airport, officers immediately detained and searched her, then sent her to a hospital for detailed examination. X-ray results revealed numerous foreign objects in her abdomen. Further investigation confirmed they were heroin capsules wrapped in condoms and multiple layers of shrink film. She had swallowed these capsules to evade detection and smuggle drugs through the airport.
The capsules could only be removed through the body's natural process, requiring authorities to maintain continuous surveillance for ten days while managing her waste and recovering the expelled capsules. The case was transferred to Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office for prosecution under drug control laws. The prosecutor filed charges in July, and the Thai woman remains in custody pending trial.
