A dream holiday in Thailand has reportedly turned into a nightmare for at least 11 French nationals.
Arrested after authorities allegedly found kilograms of cannabis in their luggage.
Could a free vacation really come with a hidden price?
According to relatives and French newspaper Libération, some of the young travellers may have been tricked into becoming drug mules.
They were allegedly offered free trips by traffickers.
Several reportedly say they had no idea what was inside the locked suitcases they were carrying.
At least five people aged between 18 and 26 have been identified among those arrested at airports in Thailand and Hong Kong.
One family told the news agency that a 20-year-old man was detained in July while preparing to fly from Thailand to Paris.
Trafficking Probe Grows
Customs officers allegedly found 16.8kg of cannabis inside a suitcase whose combination the travellers did not know.
“They were shocked. They really weren’t expecting it,” the man’s relative said.
French diplomatic officials say they are closely monitoring the cases and have contacted the families.
Consular services in Thailand and Hong Kong have been mobilised.
The arrests come as cannabis trafficking from Thailand to France has reportedly increased since Thailand decriminalised the drug in 2022.
For travellers, the warning is stark: a suitcase you did not pack can still become your legal nightmare.
