A British tourist was stopped by police after fleeing when he was found allegedly carrying cocaine.
Michael Philip Martin, 27, from Liverpool, was flagged down by police while driving against the traffic flow on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand, on April 23.
However, he reportedly ignored the warning and sped away on his rented motorbike before being intercepted in front of a hotel.
Officers searched his belongings and found three sachets of cocaine weighing 1.79 grammes in total and found his visa had expired in October last year.
Police Captain Sophon Maksuwan of the Bo Phut District Police Station said: ‘The suspect was taken into custody and charged for illegally possessing category 2 narcotics and overstaying. He has admitted to the charges, and we have informed him of his rights.’
During questioning, Michael allegedly confessed he had bought the cocaine from a Thai man at a pub near Chaweng Beach for £90 per sachet.
Police photos show the red-faced tourist with his hands clasped together in front of officers as they displayed his stash of illegal drugs to reporters.
He was detained at the police station, and the contraband was seized as evidence.
Cocaine is classified as a ‘category 2’ narcotic under Thai law. Importers, producers, and exporters face jail sentences depending on the amount, with the most severe being life behind bars.
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Despite the severe penalties in law, many tourists are able to ‘negotiate’ with Thai authorities who are not keen on footing the bill for their prison stays.
Tourism interest in Koh Samui island, where the White Lotus was filmed, surged among US, British and European travellers following the success of the show’s third season.
The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, which serves as the show’s fictional setting, saw a tenfold increase in demand, its executive vice president, Marc Speichert, said.
The spike in interest, called the ‘White Lotus Effect’, also boosted tourism in the previous filming locations of Hawaii and Sicily.
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