Phuket-
Authorities at Phuket International Airport arrested a 21‑year‑old Belgian woman after discovering more than 31 kilograms of cannabis concealed in her luggage as she attempted to leave the country.
Airport security officers flagged two suspicious suitcases belonging to Ms. Salma El, a Belgian national, during routine screening of outbound international passengers. Upon inspection, officials found 12 vacuum‑sealed packages of cannabis flowers weighing 28.3 kilograms, along with eight additional packages of processed cannabis weighing 3.4 kilograms. The total seizure amounted to approximately 31.7 kilograms.
Ms. El reportedly confessed that the luggage and its contents were hers. She was immediately charged with attempting to export undeclared goods in violation of the Customs Act (2017), as well as offenses under Thailand’s Narcotics Code, the Thai Traditional Medicine Protection and Promotion Act (1999), and the Ministry of Public Health’s 2025 declaration listing cannabis as a controlled herb.
Police transferred the suspect and the confiscated drugs to Sakhu Police Station for further investigation and prosecution.
Police Colonel Salan Santisasanakul, Superintendent of Sakhu Police, stated that the arrest was the result of coordinated efforts between security and customs agencies to tighten inspections of passengers and baggage at Phuket International Airport. He said that authorities will pursue legal action against offenders without exception, showing Thailand’s commitment to preventing the smuggling of substances out of the country.
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