SURAT THANI, THAILAND – Police on the holiday island of Koh Phangan raided a luxury villa and arrested four Israeli tourists over highly dangerous Labubu-shaped designer drugs.
Raid triggered by local tip-off
Tourist police on Koh Phangan said a hotline tip had been received on Friday reporting loud music from a house and a constant flow of “suspicious foreigners” coming and going. Officers then launched a raid and found four Israeli men in the villa, who according to police tried to flee but were detained on the property.
Polydrug ‘candy’ pills in toy character shape
During the search, officers discovered several illegal substances, including cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA) and a polydrug known in the scene as “candy”. The tablets were reportedly pressed in the shape of the popular Labubu character.
The district chief of Koh Phangan, Paisit Thongcherm, said the “candy” drugs contained high concentrations of MDMA mixed with other substances such as ketamine, cocaine and caffeine.
“The combination increases the risk of a fatal overdose with the danger of sudden cardiac arrest.”
said Paisit Thongcherm, Koh Phangan district chief.
Prior warnings over Labubu and Doraemon pills
Authorities had already warned the public last year about combination pills in the shapes of Labubu and Doraemon. At the time, officials said they were particularly concerned that children might mistake the colourful tablets for toys or sweets.
Some of these products contained MDMA and ketamine mixed with diazepam, a combination that authorities described as potentially deadly. Officials highlighted the high MDMA dose with additional active substances, the increased risk of heart failure and overdose, and the toy-like appearance that could mislead children.
Suspects named; deportation planned
The four men arrested on Friday were identified by authorities as Eliran Avitan (27), Sali Sason (27), Dor Nachmias (29) and Ben Aslan (29). They were accused of possession and use of narcotic drugs in categories 1 and 2.
Officials stated that their visas would be revoked, followed by deportation. Investigations into the origin of the Labubu pills and any potential distribution network on Koh Phangan were continuing.
Debate over nightlife controls and education
The case again raised questions about comic-shaped pills mixed from multiple hard substances and sold like sweets with unpredictable risks. Public discussion in Thailand has focused on how far the party scene was prepared to go in search of new stimuli, and whether stricter controls on nightlife-focused islands or broader education efforts would be more effective in preventing such dangers.