Brazilian couple busted at Koh Samui Airport with 6.93kg of cocaine worth ฿20 million, just weeks after another pair was caught at Suvarnabhumi with a larger haul. Thai police suspect both cases are linked to a growing South American drug courier network.
A Brazilian couple has been caught red-handed at Koh Samui International Airport with 6.9 kilograms of cocaine stuffed in their luggage. The suspects, Diego dos Santos Silva, 35, and Fernanda Gabriele Lorenco de Andrade, 25, were arrested on Saturday morning after customs officers uncovered the narcotics hidden in two suitcases. The haul, classified as a Category 2 narcotic, has an estimated street value of ฿20 million. This high-stakes bust comes just weeks after another Brazilian couple was caught smuggling ฿22 million worth of cocaine through Suvarnabhumi Airport. In that case, alert officers found the drugs hidden in secret compartments inside their bags. Thai authorities believe drug syndicates are using unsuspecting tourists — or paid couriers — to move cocaine through Southeast Asia. Investigations are ongoing.
A Brazilian man and woman have been arrested for attempting to smuggle 6.93 kilograms of cocaine onto Koh Samui. The pair was intercepted at Samui International Airport on Saturday morning. Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs at over ฿20 million.
The suspects have been identified as Mr Diego dos Santos Silva, 35, and Ms Fernanda Gabriele Lorenco de Andrade, 25. Both arrived on Bangkok Airways flight PG123 from Bangkok shortly before their arrest.
Cocaine hidden in suitcases discovered during screening by customs officers using advanced X-rays
According to police, the cocaine was hidden in two black suitcases. The drugs were packed among clothes and personal items to avoid detection. However, customs officers at the airport grew suspicious during routine luggage screening.
Officials scanned both bags using advanced X-ray equipment. As a result, two large packages of compressed powder were detected. The first suitcase contained 3.62 kg of cocaine, while the second held 3.31 kg.
Subsequently, officers from Bo Phut police station were called in to investigate further. The suspects were taken into custody without incident. They were escorted to the station, where both suitcases were opened and the drugs were officially weighed.
Police say the pair began their journey in Brazil two days earlier. They boarded Qatar Airways flight QR780 in São Paulo on Thursday. After transiting through Doha on QR830, they landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. From there, they took a domestic flight to Koh Samui.
Police suspect drug network involvement despite claims by the accused that it was their first time in Thailand
Pol Lt Gen Surapol Thanomjit, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, confirmed the details during a press briefing. He stated that both suspects claimed this was their first time visiting Thailand. Despite this claim, police are investigating whether they are linked to an international trafficking network.
So far, authorities have not ruled out the possibility that others were involved. In fact, officers believe the pair may have acted under instruction from a foreign syndicate. Interrogations are ongoing, and further arrests are possible.
Meanwhile, both suspects have been formally charged. They face serious allegations of importing a Category 2 narcotic into the Kingdom without permission. Under Thai law, cocaine is classified as a dangerous narcotic, and trafficking carries harsh penalties.
This is not the first such case involving Brazilian nationals. On Tuesday, May 6th, two other Brazilian tourists were arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport. That case involved 7.4 kg of cocaine hidden in false compartments of their luggage. The seized drugs were valued at more than ฿22 million.
May arrests involved more cocaine and raised alarm about growing drug courier activity from South America
Those suspects, aged 26 and 27, had flown from Salvador, Brazil. They transited through Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris before landing in Bangkok. Customs officials uncovered the hidden cocaine during a targeted inspection at the airport.
That incident was the largest cocaine seizure at Suvarnabhumi Airport this year. It also raised concerns about a growing trend involving drug couriers from South America using Thailand as a transit point.
Given these recent events, Thai authorities have stepped up security. As a result, surveillance at all international and domestic entry points has been tightened. Police and customs units now coordinate more closely to identify suspicious travel patterns and luggage profiles.
Additionally, Thailand’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau is working with foreign agencies. Intelligence sharing has increased, especially with counterparts in South America and Europe. The goal is to dismantle international smuggling operations at the source.
Police warn tourists as suspects remain in custody and the case heads to court for formal prosecution
Lt Gen Surapol urged travellers not to get involved in drug transport. “Those who think they can outsmart the system are mistaken,” he warned. “Our officers are trained, alert and equipped with the latest tools.”
For now, Mr Silva and Ms Andrade remain in custody at Bo Phut police station. They are being held without bail while investigations continue. The case will soon be transferred to the provincial court for prosecution.
If found guilty, the pair could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty under Thai law. Authorities are treating the case as a high priority due to the quantity and method of concealment.
Investigators seek links between recent cocaine busts to uncover wider network behind Brazilian smugglers
Moreover, police are examining flight and communication records for links to prior smuggling cases. They hope to determine whether the suspects were recruited by the same network responsible for the May arrests.
Undeniably, Saturday’s bust highlights the growing use of Southeast Asia as a route for cocaine trafficking. It also demonstrates Thailand’s commitment to stopping narcotics at the border.
2 tourists from Brazil arrested with over ฿22 million in cocaine in secret compartment of their luggage
As drug syndicates adapt, so too must law enforcement. But thanks to swift action by customs and police, another cocaine package has been stopped from reaching the streets.
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