Two Uzbekistani men arrested at Phuket airport with 35 undeclared smartphones
Customs officers at Phuket International Airport arrested two Uzbekistani men after finding 35 undeclared smartphones in their baggage at the international arrivals terminal.
Two Uzbekistani men were arrested at Phuket International Airport after customs officers found 35 smartphones in their baggage.
The arrests took place at about 9:30 a.m. on June 12 at the green channel on the first floor of the international arrivals terminal, according to the source material. Officers said they spotted suspicious items in the passengers’ luggage and carried out a detailed inspection.
One of the men, 26-year-old Asatilla Toshpulatov, was found carrying 17 foreign-made smartphones weighing more than three kilograms in his carry-on baggage. The second man, 25-year-old Shokhjakhon Kushchanov, was found with 18 smartphones weighing more than three kilograms in his baggage.
Authorities said both men admitted during initial questioning that the bags and all 35 devices belonged to them.
They were charged under the Customs Act of 2017 for allegedly smuggling goods into Thailand without paying taxes or completing proper customs clearance. The two suspects and the seized smartphones were transferred to Sakhu Police Station for further legal action under the supervision of Pol. Col. Salan Santisasanakul.
