Thai Tourist Police raided a luxury villa on the popular island of Koh Phangan on Sunday, arresting four Israeli nationals suspected of operating a drug distribution network targeting foreign tourists—primarily fellow Israelis. The raid resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of drugs and cash.
Among those arrested were R., a 48-year-old Israeli resident of the island, a 33-year-old man identified as Sh., and two young women aged 24 and 23, identified as M. and G., respectively.
The operation followed complaints from local residents about a loud party and suspicious comings and goings at a villa in the island’s Moo 4 district. A joint force of tourist police, local police, immigration officials and provincial authorities arrived on the scene and encountered Sh., who was behaving suspiciously and attempted to flee.
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Three of the Israelis arrested on the Thai island of Koh Phangan
(Photo: Koh Phangan police)
Inside the villa, officers detained the two women and found white powder residue on a table. Seized during the raid were 3.32 grams of cocaine, 28.99 grams of ketamine, 0.86 grams of MDMA powder (ecstasy), and 29 electronic cigarettes.
The suspects told investigators they had purchased the drugs via WhatsApp from R., the island resident. Police later raided R.’s home in the Moo 6 district, arresting him and seizing a large stash of narcotics: 33.36 grams of cocaine, 16.07 grams of ketamine, ecstasy tablets and powder, LSD blotters and 79,000 baht in cash. The drugs were packaged in zip-lock bags labeled with an image of a gun—believed by police to be the network’s trademark. Some bags also bore images of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
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The drug bags were decorated with images of guns and Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
(Photo: Koh Phangan police)
According to the Thai authorities' official statement, the group focused on selling drugs at parties attended by Israeli tourists across the island. The operation is part of a broader national crackdown on foreign criminal networks in Thailand, aimed at restoring Koh Phangan’s reputation as a safe and tourist-friendly destination.
The three suspects arrested at the villa face charges of joint possession and sale of Category 1 and 2 drugs (including MDMA, cocaine and ketamine), drug use and possession of untaxed goods (e-cigarettes). R., identified as the main supplier, faces charges of possession and sale of Category 1 and 2 drugs, as well as personal drug use.
All four suspects were taken to Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal proceedings. Authorities stated their intent to deport the individuals and blacklist them from reentering Thailand.
The incident adds to growing tensions on Koh Phangan surrounding the behavior of some Israeli tourists and the businesses they have established on the island. Thai authorities have recently intensified enforcement efforts against illegal activities involving foreigners. In December, Tourist Police raided a rented house on the island, arresting 10 foreign nationals—one of them Israeli—for participating in an illegal poker game.