STF Busts Bangkok‑to‑Kolkata Drug Trafficking Ring Using Tourist Visa

A coordinated operation by the Kolkata Special Task Force uncovered a cross‑border drug trafficking scheme that exploited tourist visas to move illegal stimulants from Bangkok into the city. On July 22, two Thai women were apprehended at a hotel in the Bhawanipur district while in possession of MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy or Molly.

The women, Suparladi Sukuliyat and Sutthuwana Kut, flew into Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on a standard tourist entry permit. According to STF officials, the pair were guided by local agents who arranged their accommodation and provided cover for the hand‑over of the narcotics to the Kolkata‑based distribution network.

During a raid prompted by intelligence from cyber‑monitoring of dark‑web drug forums, officers recovered a packet containing 20 grams of the synthetic drug. The material's market worth exceeds one lakh rupees, highlighting the lucrative nature of the operation.

Investigators are now mapping the full extent of the ring, focusing on how the couriers were instructed to conceal the drugs in ways that could bypass airport screening equipment. The case reflects growing concerns over the infiltration of Southeast Asian drug routes into Indian metropolitan centers.