KO PHA-NGAN, THAILAND – Police arrested a Russian DJ accused of running a high-tech drug distribution network on the holiday island using Telegram, AI and GPS drop points.
GPS coordinates replace back-alley deals
The 41-year-old Anton Petukhov was not an ordinary dealer, according to investigators. The Russian, who performed as a DJ at island parties, had set up a sophisticated distribution system. Customers could place orders for drugs via the Telegram messaging app, using their smartphones. An automated AI system processed the incoming orders.
After paying by credit card, buyers received GPS coordinates. Petukhov’s helpers had already buried the drugs at those locations. Customers then only had to dig up the packages and consume the substances.
Arrest at the pier
The operation was uncovered on 9 March. Near Hua Thian Pier in Ban Tai district, police stopped a red sedan. At the wheel was Anton Petukhov, whose condition immediately raised suspicion.
“He appeared intoxicated and admitted to having taken cocaine,”
said a police spokesman.
A search of his residence led officers to what they described as the find of their careers: 115.69 grams of cocaine, 11.37 grams of ketamine, 4.42 grams of MDMA crystals and five MDMA tablets. The quantities covered multiple popular party drugs allegedly prepared for sale.
New deadly ‘wolf’s head’ drug discovered
Police were particularly alarmed by the discovery of a new type of pill called “2CB”. Because of its colourful shapes, the party drug was also known as “wolf’s head” or “skull”. Officers said the tablets were clearly designed to appeal to the party crowd on the island.
“These pills are a dangerous mixture of MDMA, ketamine, cocaine and caffeine,”
warned one investigator. The bright tablets were aimed specifically at partygoers, according to authorities. The consequences could be fatal:
“The mixture can lead to respiratory arrest or directly to death,”
said the authorities.
DJ work seen as cover
Investigators believed that Petukhov’s job as a DJ served mainly as a façade. His performances in the island’s clubs likely provided perfect cover for his activities, they said. From this position he was able to blend into the nightlife and observe the market closely.
“He knew the scene, he knew the partygoers – and he knew exactly when and where demand was highest,”
explained a police insider. The GPS-based system made him independent of personal meetings with customers. There was no direct contact and, in his view, no risk – at least that was what he apparently assumed.
Charges facing the ‘drug DJ’
For Petukhov, police said, the party was now over. He faced several charges, including possession and distribution of Category 1 narcotics (MDMA), distribution of Category 2 narcotics (cocaine), distribution of psychotropic substances (ketamine) and illegal drug use. Each offence carried heavy penalties under Thai law.
He was handed over to investigators at Ko Pha-ngan police station and placed in custody in a cell instead of returning to the DJ booth. Police announced that they would widen their investigation.
“We will dismantle the entire network,”
a police officer threatened.
Warning to all partygoers
The case illustrated how the drug underworld had become increasingly brazen and technically advanced. Police issued a strong warning about the new substances circulating in the party scene.
“2CB is not a harmless party drug. It can kill,”
a doctor appealed to the common sense of holidaymakers.
Officials stressed that Ko Pha-ngan remained a dream island for tourists, but that the dream could quickly turn into a nightmare for those involved with drugs. The message from police was clear: anyone who used or dealt drugs would be expelled from the island.