PHUKET, THAILAND – A 38-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested on Thursday after officers found him behaving erratically and without trousers near a shooting range in Sakoo, Thalang, and discovered cocaine on his person.
Arrest at Sakoo shooting range
Police at Sakoo station said they were called at about 23:30 on Thursday after reports of a man acting strangely near a local shooting range. When officers arrived they found the man, identified only as Mr. Andriy, in a confused state, speaking incoherently and not wearing trousers.
Officers searched him and recovered 1.80 grams of cocaine. His behavior led police to suspect he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the arrest.
Charges and next steps
The man was taken to Sakoo police station and was being held pending further legal action. He faced charges relating to the illegal possession of Category-1 and Category-2 drugs, which in Thailand include crystal methamphetamine (Category 1) and cocaine (Category 2), authorities said. It was not confirmed that crystal meth was found on him.
Police said they were also considering whether to add charges for causing a public nuisance or other breaches of public order. “The case is being processed,” the Sakoo police said.
Context and warnings for visitors
Thai law takes a strict approach to drug offences, and penalties for possession can include multi-year prison sentences even for small quantities. Phuket has seen repeated incidents involving foreign nationals and drug laws, a pattern officials say underlines the country’s zero-tolerance policy.
The Sakoo police confirmed the incident was being handled through the normal procedures and that Mr. Andriy would remain in custody until prosecutors and the courts decided on the formal charges and any further action.