Four Hong Kong men believed to be drug smugglers were allegedly caught with 14 kilos of heroin at an airport in Bangkok.

Hong Kong nationals Leung Wai Kit, a suspected major drug dealer, and Chun He Chow, an alleged drug courier, are said to have arrived in Thailand allegedly to procure drugs but were arrested during a hand over with two other unnamed suspects at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on June 23.

Cops arrested the group and seized from them luggage allegedly containing bars of compressed heroin that weighed 14 kilogrammes.

Police Lieutenant General Phanurat Lakbun, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand (ONCB), said Thai authorities collaborated with Hong Kong police to monitor the alleged drug network's activities.

He said in a June 24 press conference at the ONCB Operations Centre: 'The results of the arrest case were the result of good cooperation between the ONCB and the Hong Kong police, in accordance with the policies of Prime Minister Settha Thavisin and Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, who have closely cooperated with foreign countries to destroy transnational drug networks.

'This problem is widespread in every region, and drug smuggling using Thailand as a transit route continues to occur, both through international parcel delivery, air transport, and concealed in various goods via shipping.'

Prin Mekanandha, director of ONCB's Narcotics Law Enforcement Bureau, said the four suspects allegedly admitted to being instructed by their 'commander' in Hong Kong to pick up the heroin in Thailand.

The drugs are believed to be from the notorious Golden Triangle region bordering Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. It was the world's largest producer of opium until the Afghans took over at the turn of the century.

The tourists were charged with 'jointly attempting to export a Category I narcotic (heroin) without permission and jointly possessing a Category 1 narcotic (heroin) without permission.'

According to Thai law, carrying Category I drugs, including LSD and ecstasy, for 'disposal or possession for the purpose of disposal', has a maximum punishment of the death sentence or life in prison. The most severe punishments are reserved for those who 'produce of import' the substances, while simply possessing the drugs can land offenders in jail for up to 10 years.

Dealing the lesser Category 2 drugs, which include cocaine and ketamine, can carry a life sentence while possession alone has a punishment of five years.