The family of a Thai woman detained in Japan has called for an investigation into the person who gave her a parcel that allegedly contained crystal methamphetamine hidden among packets of coffee.
Juthathip Thongnoi, 28, was taken into custody at Fukuoka Airport on July 12, one day after travelling to Japan with her boyfriend, Sarawut, and another companion.
The three had been earning money by carrying parcels from Thailand to recipients in Japan, a service commonly arranged through online contacts.
Ms Juthathip’s family says she had no knowledge that the package contained drugs and believes she was used as an unwitting courier.
Her parents, Thanasak Thongnoi, 53, and Kanyawee Fuangpian, 45, have asked Thai police to identify whoever supplied the parcel and determine whether the shipment formed part of a broader drug-trafficking operation.
Parcel Sender Vanishes
According to Mr Sarawut, the parcel was arranged on July 10 by a customer using the Line account name “ing ing”.
The customer asked the couple to take a tightly sealed brown carton weighing about 12 kilogrammes to Japan and later transferred 3,600 baht for the delivery through an account registered under the name “HO THI MAI”.
Mr Sarawut said they were not immediately concerned because the same customer had previously hired their service in May.
The group flew to Japan the following day, carrying nine separate parcels for different customers.
After landing at Fukuoka Airport, all three were questioned by Japanese officials. Mr Sarawut and their travelling companion were eventually allowed to leave, but Ms Juthathip remained detained.
Mr Sarawut contacted the Thai consulate-general in Fukuoka on July 13 in an attempt to learn more about the case, although the investigation was still ongoing at that point.
The family received further information through the consulate on July 22, when they were told that authorities had allegedly found crystal methamphetamine concealed inside coffee sachets in the parcel.
Mr Sarawut said recipients came forward to collect eight of the nine packages carried to Japan. The only person who failed to do so was “ing ing”, who also stopped communicating with them.
Following news of the arrest, Ms Juthathip’s family lodged a complaint with police in Nonthaburi and provided investigators with CCTV footage that could help trace the person behind the shipment.
The family hopes the evidence will establish how the parcel reached Ms Juthathip and whether those involved may be connected to other cross-border drug-smuggling cases.
Ms Kanyawee said her daughter should have been more cautious about accepting sealed packages from customers, but maintained that she had never knowingly been involved in narcotics.
“My daughter has never been involved with drugs,” she said, appealing to police to thoroughly investigate the case and find those responsible.
