Four French and Swiss tourists 'caught smuggling 30kg of cannabis' at Thai airport

Four French and Swiss tourists were caught allegedly smuggling cannabis at a Thai airport.

The holidaymakers were stopped by customs officers when they were screened at Phuket International Airport on July 27.

The suspects were named as French nationals Shaina Myriam Khadija El Gharib, 18, and Alassane Justin Luciano Ahmada Djae, 26, along with Swiss nationals Sean Cassidy Buzzi, 19, and Marcus Frimpong, 18.

Police said they found vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis buds and processed cannabis in the group's luggage.

The total haul weighed more than 30 kilogrammes and was worth around 2.6 million baht.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Rattanawut Nukaeo of the Sakhu Police Station said the drugs were destined for Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France.

He added: 'The tourists were charged with attempting to export goods without completing the required customs procedures, in violation of the Customs Act.

'They also face offences under the Narcotics Code, the Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medical Knowledge Act, and the Ministry of Public Health's notification on controlled herbs.'

Thailand decriminalised marijuana in 2022, making it the first Asian nation to do so.

However, the lack of regulations caused a surge in unregulated sales and use, especially in tourist areas like Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya, alongside reports linking the drug to violence and public disorder.

Government officials are now seeking to outlaw recreational cannabis use by requiring medical certificates to purchase the drug.