PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) says it has identified the source of the heroin linked to the Thai flight attendant arrested in Australia, tracing the trafficking network back to the Golden Triangle as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle the international smuggling operation. ONCB spokesperson and Deputy Secretary-General Areepak Ngernbamrung said nationwide raids were carried out overnight, uncovering a drug network operating from the Golden Triangle region. While some suspects are directly connected to the case involving the Thai Airways flight attendant, others are believed to be part of separate trafficking operations. Officials are expected to provide further details at a press conference later today.
Authorities also dismissed reports that a sedan driver allegedly seen delivering the heroin-filled luggage to the flight attendant had already been arrested. Areepak clarified that the individual taken into custody was involved in an unrelated case, although investigators are continuing to pursue the person who delivered the suspicious package. She expressed confidence that the suspect would soon be identified through Bangkok’s extensive CCTV network, even if he does not voluntarily come forward. The ONCB said its immediate priority over the next one to two days is to dismantle the trafficking route used to move heroin from Thailand to Australia. Investigators have already identified parts of the smuggling chain, including couriers responsible for transporting and storing the drugs before export, as well as accomplices in Thailand and the intended recipients in Australia. The intelligence will be shared with Australian authorities as part of the joint investigation.
Officials are also examining why the 26-year-old flight attendant allegedly trusted a Facebook account operating under the name “Rose Rose”, despite strict airline regulations prohibiting cabin crew from carrying parcels on behalf of others. Australian investigators are currently compiling the suspect’s statements and are expected to share them with Thai authorities. The ONCB confirmed it now knows where the heroin originated and has identified the source of the luggage used in the case but declined to reveal further details while operations continue. Investigators said the drugs originated outside Thailand, with the country being used as a transit and repackaging hub rather than a production source.
According to the ONCB, international trafficking syndicates commonly move heroin into Thailand through three main routes: the Golden Triangle in northern Thailand, the northeastern border region, and Kanchanaburi province. The narcotics are then repackaged before being forwarded to overseas destinations. Investigators also confirmed that CCTV footage shows the suspicious package being delivered to the flight attendant’s residence on June 22, after weeks of online conversations with the alleged employer beginning in early June. Authorities are now reviewing whether this was truly her first time carrying a package overseas, as she reportedly told Australian investigators, noting that records show she has travelled to Australia 14 times, raising questions about whether similar trips occurred previously. The investigation remains ongoing as Thai and Australian authorities continue working together to dismantle the transnational drug syndicate. (TNA)
