Latest news with #MichelleSwain
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Wales Online
Mum warns Brit tourists after son held on drugs charges
Mum warns Brit tourists after son held on drugs charges Michelle Swain's family received a nightmare call from her son saying he had been arrested in Thailand Phuket viewed from an airplane in the sky. (Image: iStock/Getty Images ) The mother of a man arrested in Thailand on drugs charges has issued a warning to people travelling to the country. Jamie Louis Swain was stopped by immigration officers at Phuket Internation Airport last year after a bag of cocaine was found in his passport. Jamie, then 29, from Stevenage, planned a trip to Thailand with his brother last May but it became a nightmare, his mum Michelle Swain said. When the brothers landed at Phuket she said Jamie was pulled aside when an immigration officer noticed a small plastic bag with white powder in his passport. Officers claimed Jamie began to swear and shake and they made further checks. He was arrested after officials scanned his luggage and tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine. Jamie is now said to be facing up to 20 years in jail under Thailand's Narcotics Act, but after a court hearing in July last year he was deported back to the UK. Jamie avoided incareration but was ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 baht (£1,137). Now Michelle, 57, says her family went through hell when they had a phone call from her son saying he arrived at Phuket island for his much looked forward to holiday only to be arrested at immigration, the Mirror reports. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Speaking to MailOnline, Ms Swain claimed her son was 'set up'. She said: "People say it's because I'm his mum I don't believe it, but to get through two airports and the fact it's happened to other people, I just feel that it was a set up. "I can't help that, I know I'm his mum, and I'm not silly I know they're all doing this and it all goes on, I'm not naive I've got three boys. But I just feel like to get through two airports and then suddenly this bag appears, and he'd had his passport out all that time, I just find it very strange." Article continues below She said Jamie was kept in a 'holding cell' for around two days before being released on bail. She flew out to Phuket on the same night he was detained, and said the "awful" situation left her anxious that's he'd be locked up in a foreign jail. The mother-of-three said: "He said there was no water, no food, nothing. He was in there about two days then he got bail. It wasn't a high bail amount. He then had to stay there [in Phuket] for three months at least, they wouldn't let him go. He had a court date at the end of July and he got fined. " Ms Swain said her son was eventually got deported and flew home at the beginning of August. She was initially warned by solicitors he could face up to a year behind bars, but he was released on bail for the equivalent of £250, and was fined just over £1,000. Article continues below Ms Swain had this warning for others heading to Thailand. She said while the country and the people are 'beautiful' and 'friendly', travellers 'should be careful'. She said: 'It was just meant to be a nice holiday. It could happen to any young boys going out there. There's nothing you can do, you can be careful, but if that happens there's nothing you can do about it." She added: "It is frightening for the youngsters, it's happening all the time out there. It was just an awful experience, I wouldn't want to put anyone ever through that. I would never wish it on anyone. The worry alone was terrible. It's a shame he had to go through that really, it can ruin people's lives. I don't think they see the damage it can do to young boys' lives."
The Sun
25-05-2025
- The Sun
My son was called an idiot when cocaine fell out of his passport while on hols in Thailand… but he was SET UP
A BRITISH mum has claimed her son was set up after a bag of cocaine allegedly fell from his passport during a dream holiday to Thailand – and has warned it 'can happen to anyone.' Michelle Swain, 57, said her family's life turned upside down when son Jamie Louis Swain, 29, was arrested at Phuket International Airport moments after landing with his brother in May last year. 5 Immigration officers reportedly discovered a 0.42g packet of cocaine lodged in Jamie's passport as they flicked through to find an empty page for his visa stamp. He was detained immediately and faced up to 20 years in jail under Thailand's strict drug laws. Police said he reacted with visible shock, began swearing and shaking, and was swiftly arrested. His bags were scanned and the white powder tested positive for cocaine, according to Thai authorities. Michelle alleged the whole incident was a set-up, insisting her son had already passed through two other international airports – Heathrow and Dubai – without issue. She told the Daily Mail: 'His brother got through with his passport and then Jamie gave his passport and they said a bag fell out his passport. 'People say it's because I'm his mum I don't believe it, but to get through two airports and the fact it's happened to other people, I just feel that it was a set up.' Michelle added: 'It must have been put in there. I think this happens more than we know.' Jamie, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was reportedly held in a holding cell for two days before being bailed for the equivalent of £250. Watch as cops seize cat with crack cocaine taped to it after gang tried to smuggle drugs into prison using cute kitty His mum flew to Phuket the same night he was detained. 'He was handcuffed in there with a Russian bloke, just them two. He said there was no water, no food, nothing,' she said. He remained in Thailand for nearly three months awaiting a court date. In July, he was fined 50,000 baht (around £1,137) and deported – but not before spending two more nights in a Bangkok prison. Michelle recounted: 'It wasn't very nice in there from what he said. It wasn't good. 'He said everyone in the prison were more interested in his story as a westerner, and they said to him 'you're not going to get out of here'. They said they had been there for years.' She warned other young Brits travelling abroad to stay alert – claiming at least three other people had contacted her with near-identical stories. 'It could happen to any young boys going out there,' she said. There's nothing you can do, you can be careful, but if that happens there's nothing you can do about it.' Thai police said at the time that Jamie had been charged with importing and possessing Category II narcotics. He arrived on Etihad Airways flight EY432 and was caught during a routine immigration check. Police Colonel Padthongtew Damapong, superintendent of Phuket Airport Immigration, said: 'An immigration officer found the cocaine when she was checking the tourist's passport. 5 5 'The suspect was charged with importing category II narcotics, namely cocaine, into the country and possessing them. 'The suspect was handed over to Sakhu Police Station for further legal action.' Importing cocaine into Thailand carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to 5,000,000 baht. Possession alone can mean up to five years behind bars. While Michelle admits she's not naive about drugs and has three sons, she maintains Jamie was targeted: 'It was less than a gram, it was ridiculous, but it was enough, as our solicitor said, to get money out of you.' 'It can ruin people's lives. I don't think they see the damage it can do to young boys' lives.'
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE My son was called an idiot after cocaine was found his wallet at a Thai airport… but he was SET UP - here's my warning to other Brit holidaymakers
The mother of a man held at a Thai airport after a packet of cocaine was found in his passport has warned that it can 'happen to anyone' as she claims he was 'set up'. Michelle Swain, 57, says her family went through hell when they received a call from her son saying he had arrived at Phuket island for his much-anticipated holiday only to be arrested at immigration. Jamie Louis Swain, then 29, from Stevenage, landed at Phuket International Airport with his brother in May last year but was pulled aside when an immigration officer noticed a small plastic bag with white powder while flicking through his passport to find an empty page to place the visa stamp. Officers said that Swain reacted with surprise, before he started swearing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections and scan his luggage. He was then arrested the airport, where police tested the substance found in his passport and confirmed it was 0.42 grams of cocaine. He was said to be facing up to 20 years in jail under Thailand 's Narcotics Act, but after a court hearing in July was deported back to the UK after being ordered to pay a fine of 50,000 baht (£1,137). Speaking to MailOnline, his mother has detailed the traumatic incident, alleging that it was a 'set up'. Ms Swain said: 'He went there with his brother, got through Heathrow, Dubai, and got to Thailand. 'His brother got through with his passport and then Jamie gave his passport and they said a bag fell out his passport. 'People say it's because I'm his mum I don't believe it, but to get through two airports and the fact it's happened to other people, I just feel that it was a set up. 'I can't help that, I know I'm his mum, and I'm not silly I know they're all doing this and it all goes on, I'm not naive I've got three boys. 'But I just feel like to get through two airports and then suddenly this bag appears, and he'd had his passport out all that time, I just find it very strange. 'It was less than a gram, it was ridiculous, but it was enough, as our solicitor said, to get money out of you. 'As I say, I still think [it was set up], I can't help it, because if that's the case then obviously Heathrow and Dubai airports are not doing their job. 'You get comments saying "oh how stupid", but no, because it wasn't in there. It must have been put in there. 'I think this happens more than we know. 'He's not the only person it's happened to, I know three people at least where it's been exactly what happened to Jamie. It's just too much of a coincidence.' Ms Swain told of how when she had been reached out to by people who had reported 'exactly' the same phenomenon of close to empty packets of cocaine being 'found' in their passports. She said her son was then held in a 'holding cell' for around two days before being let out on bail. She had flown out to Phuket on the same night he had been detained, and says the 'awful' experience had her worried he would be jailed in a foreign jail. The mother-of-three said: 'I flew out that night, straight away. 'He was taken to the police station and then he was put in a prison cell. He said it was not in a big prison, because he said he could see the sea from it. 'He was handcuffed in there with a Russian bloke, just them two. 'He said there was no water, no food, nothing. 'He was in there about two days then he got bail. 'It wasn't a high bail amount. He then had to stay there [in Phuket] for three months at least, they wouldn't let him go. 'He had a court date at the end of July and he got fined. He got fined and deported, but they couldn't deport him from there, so he had to go to Bangkok. 'So he had to get a flight from Phuket to Bangkok, and he was put in Bangkok prison for a couple of days. 'It wasn't very nice in there from what he said. It wasn't good. He said everyone in the prison were more interested in his story as a westerner, and they said to him "you're not going to get out of here". They said they had been there for years. 'He had a square mat and that's where he sort of stayed. I don't know how many were in [the cell], but he said there were separate cells like Somalians and different religions, and they said "if you misbehave you go in there, and you don't want to go in there". 'There were fights in there. 'But he managed to get through it. He flew back at the beginning of August.' While initial reports said the 29-year-old could be facing up to 20 years behind bars, he was released on bail for the equivalent of £250, and his fine came up to just over £1,000. The outcome came as a relief to Ms Swain, who said solicitors had initially warned the court could hand a sentence of six months to a year in jail. Under Thailand's Narcotics Act, importing cocaine into the country carries a maximum jail term of 20 years to life and a fine of £43,000 to 108,000 (2,000,000 – 5,000,000 Baht). Cocaine possession is punishable with up to five years or a fine not exceeding £2,000 (100,000 Baht) or both. Warning others, she said while the country and the people are 'beautiful' and 'friendly', travellers should be careful. She said: 'It was just meant to be a nice holiday. It could happen to any young boys going out there. There's nothing you can do, you can be careful, but if that happens there's nothing you can do about it. 'When I see similar stories now, I do feel for the family. 'Until you're in that situation, everyone comments "oh you do the crime you do the time" but when you're in that situation it's awful. 'It's worrying, especially in another country, you don't speak Thai. 'Luckily our solicitor spoke English. Otherwise I don't know what we would have done. 'I don't know what you do if you have no money or have no one out there. 'It is frightening for the youngsters, it's happening all the time out there. 'It was just an awful experience, I wouldn't want to put anyone ever through that. I would never wish it on anyone. 'The worry alone was terrible.
