Multiple reports say drug trafficking networks are using social media to contact airline staff and recruit couriers. On June 18, an unknown account messages a flight attendant in Bangkok on TikTok, asking whether the person flies to Australia, whether they carry for hire, and what their “rate” is. In at least one account, the targeted crew member ignores the message and later forgets about it.
Separately, Thai Airways staff are identified in court-related reporting: a Thai Airways flight attendant is charged with importing more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia. The case is presented as an example of how social media contact and recruitment can be linked to drug smuggling schemes, including arrangements to transport illicit drugs via international flights. Some coverage characterizes the recruitment attempt as involving fake or deceptive social media accounts, while also noting the message’s early-morning arrival in the target’s inbox. Across outlets, the focus remains on the method—direct outreach through TikTok—and the alleged outcome in the Australian heroin-import charge.
