- Jamie Louis Swain arrived in Thailand on Thursday night and was arrested
A British tourist is facing up to 20 years in a Thai prison after he was allegedly caught with a bag of cocaine hidden in his passport by immigration staff.
Jamie Louis Swain, 29, from Enfield, north London, arrived in Phuket, Thailand on an Etihad Airways flight on Thursday night.
When he handed his passport to an immigration officer, the cop noticed a small plastic bag with white powder inside when flicking through the document to find an empty page to place the visa stamp.
Officers said that Swain reacted with surprise, before he started swearing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scanning his luggage.
He was arrested at Phuket International Airport, where police tested the substance found 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 an Etihad Airways flight on Thursday night
When he handed his passport to an immigration officer, the cop noticed a small plastic bag (pictured) with white powder inside when flicking through the document to find an empty page to place the visa stamp
Officers said that Swain reacted with surprise, before he started swearing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scanning his luggage (pictured above)
He was arrested at Phuket International Airport, where police tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine
Police Colonel Padthongtew Damapong, superintendent of Phuket Airport Immigration, said: ‘An immigration officer found the cocaine when she was checking the tourist’s passport.
‘The suspect was charged with importing category II narcotics, namely cocaine, into the country and possessing them.
‘The suspect was handed over to Sakhu Police Station for further legal action.’
Under Thailand’s Narcotics Act, importing cocaine into the country carries a maximum jail term 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 with up to five years or a fine not exceeding £2,000 (100,000 Baht) or both.