A cannabis raid in Bangkok led to the arrest of five foreign nationals and the seizure of more than five tonnes of cannabis flowers from a rented luxury home on Monday, October 19, after neighbours complained about a strong smell.
Immigration police, working with the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, searched a three-storey house in Bang Khen district under a warrant issued by Min Buri Criminal Court.
According to Khaosod, officers found one Vietnamese national and four Myanmar nationals sorting cannabis flowers for packaging and distribution to customers across Bangkok.
Large quantities of cannabis were discovered in black bags throughout the house, with the total seizure weighing more than five tonnes. Police also found a ventilation system designed to carry the smell outside.
The Immigration Bureau noted that officers had spent approximately two months gathering evidence after receiving complaints from nearby residents.
Investigators found that a Thai person had rented the property before the foreign nationals moved in. The site had reportedly been used to store, sort and package cannabis for more than a year.
The four Myanmar workers were reportedly paid between 200 and 300 baht per day, while police suspect the Vietnamese national supervised the operation.
Officials also discovered that the business held a cannabis-related licence issued in Nong Bua Lamphu province, which did not authorise its activities in Bangkok.
A legal officer involved in the inspection explained that businesses selling or processing cannabis flowers must obtain permission covering the location where they operate.
Violations under the Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Protection and Promotion Act can carry penalties of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
Following the raid, police said the seized cannabis would undergo laboratory testing to determine whether it was grown in Thailand or imported.
Investigators are also tracing the Thai person who rented the property, the source of the cannabis and any financiers or other individuals involved.
The investigation remains ongoing, with no confirmed findings yet about the cannabis’s origin or the identities of those financing the operation.
In related news:
- Two Maldivian men caught in Bangkok with crystal meth, cannabis
- Israeli man arrested in Krabi cannabis extract factory raid
- Chinese drug financier wanted in China arrested in Bangkok
The story Bangkok cannabis raid seizes over 5 tonnes, arrests five as seen on Thaiger News.