Suai ko-lok: Customs officials at the Suai Ko-lok checkpoint collaborated with multiple agencies to intercept a shipment of cocaine mixed with ketamine hidden within curry paste. The operation, part of the Customs Department's Social Protector strategy, led to the arrest of a Thai woman attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of the narcotics across the border. Efforts are underway to identify other individuals involved in the smuggling network.
According to Thai News Agency, the operation involved a coordinated effort from customs, military, police, local administration, and immigration officials. Mr. Panthong Loykulnan, Director-General of the Customs Department, alongside Mr. Yutthana Phoolpipat, Acting Advisor on Tax Collection Development and Management, and Mr. Pichaya Charoensant, Director of Customs Region 4, emphasized their commitment to safeguarding society and national security by intensifying surveillance and suppression of smuggling activities.
The operation aligns with the policy directives of Mr. Boonchuey Homyamyen, Governor of Narathiwat Province, and Chairman of the Border Command Center. The initiative calls for integrated efforts from various agencies to address security threats along the border, following the Border Security Integration Center's directives.
The recent operation was conducted early on August 19, 2026, when Mr. Athit Chaiyaphak, Customs Chief of Suai Ko-lok, assigned Mr. Kittipong Satchatheerakul, Director of Customs Service Division, to enforce the policy. This involved collaboration with the Southern Border Provinces Investigation Division, Suai Ko-lok Police, Narathiwat Immigration Police, and military personnel from the Suriyothai Command, focusing on inbound inspections at the Suai Ko-lok border.
During the inspection, officers stopped a motorcycle taxi and found suspicious luggage belonging to two Thai women. An X-ray revealed a densely packed area inside the luggage, prompting a closer inspection. Inside the package, officers found dried chilies and curry paste, but further investigation uncovered a white plastic package containing a dense mass of white powder.
Preliminary tests indicated the presence of cocaine and ketamine, confirmed by the Narathiwat Provincial Forensic Science Center. The drugs, weighing 13 kilograms, have an estimated market value exceeding 39 million baht. This act violates the Customs Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and other related laws regarding the importation of goods without customs clearance. The suspects and seized drugs have been handed over to investigators, who are working with narcotics units in Narathiwat Province to dismantle the transnational drug trafficking network.