43kg of heroin found in garment shipment

43kg of heroin found in garment shipment

Hong Kong-bound packages searched by customs officials at Suvarnabhumi

Patchara Anultasilp, left, director-general of the Customs Department, shows heroin hidden inside hilltribe-style garments bound for Hong Kong, at the department’s head office on Tuesday. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Patchara Anultasilp, left, director-general of the Customs Department, shows heroin hidden inside hilltribe-style garments bound for Hong Kong, at the department’s head office on Tuesday. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)

Customs officials say they have found more than 43 kilogrammes of heroin worth 107.5 million baht hidden in hilltribe garments bound for Hong Kong.

The discovery was made on Monday at Suvarnabhumi airport by officials who were suspicious about 29 boxes destined for Hong Kong, Patchara Anultasilp, director-general of the Customs Department, said on Tuesday.

The boxes were declared to contain home appliances, garments, cosmetics and hair removal devices.

Officials initially checked six boxes and found hilltribe-style shirts and waist ties. The sleeves of the shirts looked unusually thick and gave off a strong smell, so officials decided to tear the garments.

Inside the sleeves and waist ties, officials found fabric packs containing heroin. After all the clothes were examined, the total haul worked out to 43.4kg of heroin worth 107.5 million baht, Mr Patchara said.