A Brazilian couple were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine into Thailand.

Diego Dos Santos Silva, 36, and Fernanda Gabriele Lorenco De Andrade, 24, were caught with 6.63 kilos (14.6 pounds) of the narcotics at the Koh Samui International Airport on Saturday.

Customs officers and police detained the pair after X-ray scans found packs of cocaine concealed among clothes in their black suitcases.

Authorities said the couple had departed from the Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil on July 17, stopping over at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, the next day.

They arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport on July 19.

During questioning, the two claimed they were offered an all-expenses-paid trip to 'White Lotus' island Koh Samui by a fellow Brazilian in exchange for transporting the luggage to Thailand.

They were promised 35,000 BRL (around 4,700 GBP) once the bags were handed over to a contact on the island - known for its party scene among well-off young holidaymakers.

A police spokesman said: 'The suspects were uncooperative during interrogations and struggled to communicate in English.

'They were charged with illegally importing a Category 2 narcotic, cocaine, without permission and were handed over to the inquiry officer at Bo Phut Police Station for legal action.'

Police said the seized cocaine was worth more than 20 million baht (460,000 GBP).

Cocaine is classified as a 'category 2' narcotic under Thai law. Importers, producers, and exporters face jail sentences depending on the amount, with the most severe being life behind bars.

Despite the severe penalties in law, many tourists are able to 'negotiate' with Thai authorities who are not keen on footing the bill for their prison stays.

Koh Samui has seen a surge of tourism among US, British and European travellers following the success of The White Lotus's third season. The spike in interest, called the 'White Lotus Effect', also boosted tourism in the previous filming locations of Hawaii and Sicily.

The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, which serves as the show's fictional setting, saw a tenfold increase in demand, its executive vice president Marc Speichert said.

(1 GBP = 7.50 BRL, 1 GBP = 43.48 THB)