Phuket –
Thai authorities have arrested a 27-year-old Russian national for allegedly promoting the sale of illegal drugs through QR code stickers distributed across Phuket’s tourist hotspots.
The Cherng Talay Police in Phuket told the Phuket Express that the suspect, identified as Mr. Semen, was apprehended at a hotel on Koh Samui following a coordinated operation led by the Immigration Bureau, Provincial Police Region 8, and the Narcotics Control Board. The arrest followed a warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court for unauthorized drug-related advertising.
Investigators launched the operation after local social media and a People’s Party MP shared images of a foreign man placing QR code stickers on lamp posts and Phuket public areas. The codes originally linked to websites offering various narcotics for sale. They now link to a picture of American Actor Will Smith and Russian text that says forget about it.
Authorities traced the activity to Mr. Semen, who had fled Phuket and was hiding in Surat Thani province. Upon raiding his hotel room, officers found a large quantity of promotional stickers and photographic evidence showing their placement, reportedly sent to an overseas employer. He tried to escape but was chased down and apprehended.
During questioning, he confessed to being hired via the Telegram app by a foreign individual to distribute the stickers. He claimed to have received $1 USD per sticker, paid in cryptocurrency, and had earned approximately $300 over three days. However, officials remain skeptical of his account and are expanding the investigation to identify accomplices and uncover links to transnational drug networks.
The suspect has been formally charged with unauthorized advertising of narcotics and is now in legal custody. Authorities have instructed local units to intensify surveillance of foreign nationals in tourist areas to prevent similar incidents.
