A British tourist has been arrested at an airport in Thailand after cocaine allegedly fell from his pocket during a meltdown.
The man, whose identity has not been confirmed, is believed to have flown from Shanghai, China, to the island of Phuket in Thailand when officers pulled him aside.
He then appeared to lose control – rampaging through the hall before rolling on the ground.
The man’s behaviour backfired when 4.11 grams of cocaine allegedly fell from his pocket during the frenzy.
He was arrested and taken into custody while awaiting a court hearing.
Officers at the Phuket International Airport said the powder the man dropped was cocaine.
Police Major Akkarapon Akkraphon, immigration checkpoint inspector at the airport, said: ‘We charged the tourist with importing a Category II narcotic into the country and illegally possessing it. He was handed over to the inquiry officer of the Sakhu Police Station for legal action.’
Cocaine is classified as a ‘category 2’ drug in Thailand. Importers, producers and exporters face jail sentences depending on the amount, with the most severe being life imprisonment.
In December, a 25-year-old British tourist died in Thailand after suffering a severe reaction to magic mushrooms.
The man had travelled to Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, with his girlfriend for a Christmas break.
While Thailand is a popular holiday destination among British tourists, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has warned against travel to several parts of the country.
These include the Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat Province and southern Songkhla provinces.
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