PHUKET, THAILAND – Police on the resort island said they had dismantled a major drug ring linked to a 22-year-old Thai-Australian and seized large quantities of methamphetamine.
Tip-off from Ranong triggers surveillance
The operation began after a confidential tip from neighboring Ranong province alerted narcotics officers to a sophisticated smuggling route. Drug consignments were allegedly sent by private courier service from central Thailand to Phuket, with handovers planned at public locations in Wichit. Two police teams set up surveillance at a Flash Express outlet and the entrance to a Big C supermarket.
Teenage courier caught with major shipment
At around 2 p.m., officers saw a 16-year-old boy collect a suspicious parcel and moved in to search it. Inside, they found 60,000 Yaba tablets and two kilograms of crystal meth, and the teenager broke down in tears during questioning. He told investigators he had been hired by a foreigner in Chalong and had already picked up an earlier delivery the same day, a case authorities described as using a minor as a disposable pawn in the drug trade.
Search in Chalong uncovers more drugs
Police quickly searched a rented room in Chalong that was linked to the foreign suspect. There they discovered another 60,000 pills and four kilograms of “ice,” bringing the total seizure to 120,000 tablets and six kilograms of crystal meth. Officers estimated the street value of the confiscated drugs at more than seven million baht (about 175,000 euros).
Suspected ringleader arrested at fuel station
The main suspect, Gabriel John Thanes Garnet (22), initially escaped, prompting a large-scale manhunt. At about 10:10 p.m., police arrested the Thai-Australian and his Thai girlfriend at a fuel station shortly before they were due to leave the island. The pair were reportedly waiting to pass through the Phuket Immigration Checkpoint, but the attempted escape was foiled at the last moment, and both were taken to Wichit Police Station and charged; investigators said the network had successfully used the courier method several times before.
Police chief vows further action
Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, head of Wichit Police, underlined the coordinated nature of the operation.
“This operation shows the close cooperation of the provincial units to dismantle major drug distribution networks in Phuket.”
said Somsak Thongkliang, Wichit police chief.
Beyond criminal proceedings against everyone involved, including the teenager, investigators were now tracing the money flows. Their goal was the seizure of assets linked to the network, and further arrests were not ruled out.
Major blow, but questions over wider network
Authorities described the bust as an important victory for public safety on Phuket, noting that the quantity of seized drugs could have pushed tens of thousands of people into addiction. At the same time, officers acknowledged that for every dismantled ring, another dealer was likely waiting to take its place in the lucrative market on the holiday island. The message from police was clear: Phuket was not a safe haven for drug traffickers, and the hunt would continue even as questions remained over how deep the network ran and how many similar parcels had slipped through undetected.