THAILAND – A recent shipment of passion fruit in Thailand had more than just a pulpy inside to display. Earlier this week, authorities uncovered 90,000 methamphetamine pills hidden under the seemingly innocent load of fruit.
Two men were arrested in Chiang Mai this week after authorities stopped a delivery truck for an inspection. Amongst its other fresh fruit and vegetable inhabitants bound for market, the truck contained three sealed boxes of passion fruit, or saowarot as it is known in Thailand, two of which contained the unsavory addition to its original shipment.
Split between two boxes, the high number of meth capsules were contained in 21 packages. Authorities stated, according to the Bangkok Post, that the passion fruit shipment was headed to the Talaad Thai, one of the largest fresh produce wholesale markets in its region.
Arrests were made in the passion fruit drug ring with Prasit Raothao, 38, and Singkhon Aryiku, 32, being taken into custody. After searching Raothao’s room, police uncovered more evidence of the crime with empty cardboard boxes, adhesive tape, and a bag containing fresh passion fruit throughout the room.
Both Raothao and Aryiku confessed to having sent at least 10 prior shipments of meth to destinations in Thailand. Each shipment contained around 100,000 meth pills and was hidden in boxes of fresh produce for later distribution.
With this ring halted, where will the criminal underworld pop up in fresh produce shipments next? AndNowUKnow will keep you up-to-date with the latest.
