British tourist faces up to 20 years in Thai prison after ‘he is caught with a bag of cocaine hidden in his PASSPORT by immigration staff’
- Jamie Louis Swain arrived in Thailand on Thursday evening and was arrested
A British tourist faces up to 20 years in a Thai prison after he was allegedly caught by immigration staff with a bag of cocaine hidden in his passport.
Jamie Louis Swain, 29, from Enfield, North London, arrived in Phuket, Thailand on an Etihad Airways flight on Thursday evening.
When handing his passport to an immigration officer, the officer noticed a small plastic bag with white powder inside when he flipped through the document and found a blank page on which to place the visa stamp.
Officers said Swain acted surprised before he began cursing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scan his luggage.
He was arrested at Phuket International Airport, where police tested the substance in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine.
Jamie Louis Swain (pictured), 29, from Enfield, North London, arrived in Phuket, Thailand on Thursday evening on an Etihad Airways flight
When handing his passport to an immigration officer, the officer noticed a small plastic bag (pictured) with white powder inside when he flipped through the document and found a blank page on which to place the visa stamp.
Officers said Swain acted surprised before he began cursing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scan his luggage (pictured above)
He was arrested at Phuket International Airport, where police tested the substance in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine.
Police Colonel Padthongtew Damapong, chief inspector of immigration at Phuket airport, said: “An immigration officer found the cocaine when she checked the tourist’s passport.
“The suspect was charged with importing and possessing into the country category II narcotics, namely cocaine.
“The suspect has been transferred to Sakhu police station for further legal action.”
Under Thailand’s Narcotics Act, importing cocaine into the country carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years to life and a fine of £43,000 to 108,000 (2,000,000 – 5,000,000 Baht).
Cocaine possession is punishable by up to five years or a fine of up to £2,000 (Bt100,000), or both.