Courier busted with kratom

DRUGS: A Foodpanda rider was arrested for the illegal possession of a controlled substance after he was caught with kratom at a checkpoint in Phuket’s Muang district on Tuesday night, police said yesterday.

The arrest was made at a checkpoint manned by officers from the Narcotics Control Board and army volunteers in Soi Sai Yuan in tambon Rawai.

About 11.30pm, officers arrested Pricha Ratanasiha, 38, who acted suspiciously after he was flagged for a random search. They found a 1.3-litre bottle filled with kratom tea, hidden in a food package he was delivering.

Mr Pricha claimed the kratom was for personal use but authorities weren’t convinced as there has been a spike in cases of drug smuggling via courier services.