Teenage Drug Arrests Lead Phuket Police to Major Meth Seizure

A drug investigation in Phuket expanded after the arrest of three teenagers led police to another suspect and resulted in the seizure of more than five kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine on August 30.

Border Patrol Police arrested three suspects aged between 17 and 19 after finding approximately 2.68 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine and 131.9 grammes of ketamine in their possession. Officers also confiscated drug paraphernalia, a digital weighing scale and four mobile phones.

The three teenagers were accused of jointly possessing methamphetamine for sale, possessing ketamine without permission and using illegal drugs. They were taken to Mueang Phuket Police Station for further questioning.

Information obtained during the investigation subsequently led officers to another suspect, a 25-year-old Thai man identified only as Em.

Police located and arrested Em in Soi Noppakhun on Mae Luang Road in Talat Nue subdistrict, Mueang Phuket district. During the operation, officers seized approximately three kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine, 85 cigarette juices containing ketamine, a Honda PCX motorcycle and two mobile phones.

Em faces charges of possessing illegal drugs without permission, using methamphetamine and driving under the influence of drugs.

The Phuket arrests come amid a number of cases across Thailand involving teenagers suspected of drug-related offences. In Pattaya in 2025, police arrested a 13-year-old boy during a drug crackdown. He reportedly admitted to possessing seven methamphetamine pills and approximately three grammes of crystal methamphetamine.

Also in 2025, two 17-year-old boys were arrested in Suphan Buri over allegations that they had transported drugs from northern Thailand.

In another case that year, three teenagers were arrested in Ubon Ratchathani after allegedly attempting to bring 640,000 methamphetamine pills across the border from Laos into Thailand.

The growing involvement of children and teenagers in alleged drug trafficking and other serious offences has prompted debate over how minors should be punished under Thai law. Some have argued that juveniles involved in particularly serious or violent crimes should face penalties similar to those imposed on adults, while still allowing the courts to consider their age and circumstances.