Phrae police shared a past case when nearly six kilograms of heroin were found hidden in seat cushions, aimed to deliver abroad, to issue a warning to the public following the arrest of a Thai flight attendant in Australia.
The arrest of the Thai Airway flight attendant drew widespread attention in Thailand, particularly among people working as shopping couriers. Thai officials said the flight attendant had been working part-time as a shopping courier and was allegedly hired to transport tote bags containing heroin from Thailand to Australia.
Officials have not yet confirmed whether the flight attendant knowingly participated in the smuggling operation or was deceived into carrying the drugs but urged shopping couriers to exercise greater caution when accepting parcels.
Officers from Den Chai Police Station in Phrae also issued a public warning and shared details of a similar case on the station’s official Facebook page.
In the past case, police seized 5.76 kilogrammes of heroin hidden inside seat cushions in May this year. Investigators found the cushions were shipped from Nakhon Phanom to Phrae, where a suspect hired a shopping courier to transport them overseas.
According to police, the courier became suspicious after noticing the cushions were unusually heavy. The courier opened the package and found white powder inside the cushions, prompting a police investigation. Police said the drugs were discovered before the package could be transported abroad.
Officers are now advising shopping couriers and delivery drivers to inspect parcels carefully before accepting delivery jobs and to contact police immediately if they notice anything suspicious.
Police said warning signs may include parcels that are unusually heavy, tightly sealed, or labelled with unclear sender or recipient information.
Officers also urged the public not to allow others to use their personal details for parcel deliveries or financial transactions.
A similar case was reported in Nonthaburi in January 2024, when a Thai man contacted police after receiving a suspicious parcel at his home. Officers later found 7.5 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden inside.
The man told police that his daughter was studying in Australia and planned to return to Thailand during a school holiday. To earn extra income during her trip, she offered shopping courier services through social media.
A Laotian customer later contacted her and hired her to transport seat cushions to Australia. The parcel was delivered to the family home, where the father noticed the package was unusually heavy, leading to the discovery of the concealed drugs.
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