Thailand asks India to deport woman wanted for smuggling

Thailand has requested India to deport a Bhutanese woman detained in New Delhi for her alleged involvement in a drug trafficking network, that also includes Indians, after a gang member's body was found in a suitcase in a canal here.
Sonam Zam is among seven foreigners wanted for their suspected involvement in the death of a Bhutanese man, whose body was found in a suitcase in the canal here this month.
A large quantity of crystal methamphetamine was found in the stomach of the dead man. Police believe he was trying to smuggle the drugs in condoms that burst and killed him.

The seven suspects are from Bhutan, India and Nepal.
According to a letter sent to the Indian embassy here, Sonam fled Thailand for Delhi on April 7 on a Thai Airways International flight.
Indian Embassy sources confirmed to PTI that the letter had been received.

The letter said Thai authorities had immediately contacted Indian officials to stop the woman and send her back to Bangkok for prosecution.
Bureau commissioner Nathathorn Prousoontorn said yesterday that Indian immigration officers apprehended the suspect on arrival in Delhi. Nathathorn said he has contacted the relevant authorities to send her back to Thailand.
However, Bhutanese authorities were later contacted by their Indian counterparts about the arrest and Bhutan's Foreign Ministry opposed her handover saying the woman has denied the smuggling allegation, Nathathorn said.

"Such opposition is natural and it is their right," he said. "The suspect is still in custody in India and we are waiting on how India deals with the issue."
It was the first time Bhutanese and Nepalese drug traffickers had been detected in Thailand, the Bangkok Post reported citing the police.