British man, 23, faces drug charges in Thailand

Police in Thailand say they have arrested a 23-year-old British man for alleged drug smuggling.

George Wilson from Buckinghamshire was found with 9.1kg (20lb) of crystal meth in a Bangkok hotel room, according to officials.

The city’s Metropolitan Police says it is pressing charges.

When asked about the case by Newsbeat, the Foreign Office confirmed it is “in contact with the Thai authorities following the arrest of a British man”.

In a statement shared on social media, Thai police say “the investigation team received a tip-off that a group of foreigners were planning a narcotics handover at the hotel”.

Photos accompanying the statement showed a suitcase on a bed with foil bags labelled as tea, which police say after testing contained crystal meth.

In video footage taken at the scene of the arrest, Wilson denies any knowledge of the suitcase’s contents.

Police say they are pressing charges of “possessing Controlled Narcotic Drugs Category I. (methamphetamine or ice) for selling commercially”.

The BBC has no further statement from Wilson, his lawyers or family.

The UK government says Thailand has strict laws against drug use, possession and trafficking and having even small quantities can lead to heavy fines and jail time.

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