The four Israelis arrested Sunday on suspicion of running a drug trafficking “network” supplying parties on the popular Thai island of Koh Phangan are R., 48; S., 33; M., 24; and G., 23. The four were brought Monday before a judge on neighboring Koh Samui, who refused to release them on bail, explaining that none had admitted the seized drugs belonged to them.
Thai media have reported that the three younger detainees implicated the oldest, saying he was the one who sold them the drugs. The Israelis are represented by a Thai attorney who also represented four Israeli soldiers arrested in October in an apartment on Koh Phangan and later deported. Sources familiar with the case say that because the atmosphere toward Israelis in Thailand has recently worsened, there is concern the four will not be deported immediately.
R., a former chef and nature-party enthusiast, is the father of a child in his 20s and lives on Koh Phangan. According to local media, he was arrested at his home on the island with 33.36 grams of cocaine, 16.07 grams of ketamine, ecstasy (MDMA) pills and additional powder, LSD blotters and 79,000 baht in cash.
S. is a survivor of the October 7 Nova music festival massacre and works in nightlife. M. runs an OnlyFans account and also lives in Thailand. G. is the youngest of the four. Last September she wrote on Facebook that she would arrive in northern Thailand in November and was looking for “easygoing partners with positive vibes” to travel with.
Thailand’s tourist police raided a villa Sunday where S., M. and G. were staying, an operation that later led to R.’s arrest. Thai reports said he was apparently the most prominent figure in the chain. According to reports in Thailand, large quantities of drugs and cash were seized, and the suspects are accused of selling the substances, mainly to Israelis visiting the island.
Thai reports said the three were found in a luxury villa in the Moo 4 district after local residents complained about noise and suspicious movement of foreigners in and out of the property. Officers from several Thai agencies arrived at the scene and noticed S., who they said behaved suspiciously and tried to flee. A search of the villa led to the arrests of M. and G. as well, along with white powder residue found on a table. Police also seized 3.32 grams of cocaine, 28.99 grams of ketamine, 0.86 grams of powdered ecstasy (MDMA) and 29 electronic cigarettes.
Investigators said the three told police they bought the drugs from R. via WhatsApp, leading to his arrest. The seized drugs were packaged in ziplock bags bearing an image of a gun, which police said was a new identifying mark of the network. Some of the bags also featured the face of notorious Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar.
According to an official statement by Thai authorities, the group focused on selling drugs at parties attended by Israeli tourists across the island. The operation is part of a nationwide policy to eradicate foreign criminal groups, aimed at restoring Koh Phangan’s status as a safe and tourist-friendly destination.
M., S. and G. were charged with joint possession and sale of Category 1 and Category 2 drugs, including ecstasy, cocaine and ketamine, drug use and possession of untaxed goods, and electronic cigarettes. R., suspected of being the main supplier, was charged with possession and sale of Category 1 drugs, MDMA and LSD, and Category 2 drugs, as well as drug use. All four were taken to the Koh Phangan police station for further legal proceedings. Authorities said they intend to deport the suspects from Thailand and place them on a blacklist barring reentry.
The incident comes amid rising tensions on Koh Phangan over the behavior of some Israeli tourists and businesses they have established on the island, as Thai authorities step up enforcement against illegal activities by foreigners. In early December, for example, Thailand’s tourist police raided a rented house on Koh Phangan and caught 10 foreign nationals, including one Israeli, playing poker with illegal cash bets.