BANGKOK, Thailand — A 43-year-old Kenyan man has been arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport after allegedly attempting to smuggle 1.2 kilograms of cocaine inside his body.
Glen Ooko was detained after a routine X-ray scan revealed over 60 oblong-shaped drug pellets in his stomach, according to Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board, as reported by The East African.
Ooko had reportedly flown into Thailand from Ethiopia, where he is believed to have ingested the drug-filled capsules prior to the flight.
Thai authorities also arrested Osita Joseph Ukpa, a Nigerian national, whom they allege hired Ooko as a drug mule. Police confirmed the bust is part of a broader investigation into a transnational drug trafficking network operating in the region.
“This is part of a drug network in Thailand,” the police stated.
Thailand has increasingly become a narcotics trafficking hotspot, largely due to porous borders and limited enforcement, allowing powerful drug syndicates to operate. The country serves as a transit route for methamphetamine and cocaine shipments, with drugs often routed from Myanmar and Laos en route to destinations like Australia and Japan.
Both suspects remain in Thai custody as authorities pursue further investigations into the network’s reach and operations.
