The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Russian national Semian Kasparian, was caught on CCTV affixing drug-related stickers to a street lamp along Soi Bang Tao 2, in front of the Atrium Andaman City condo project in Cherng Talay, on Oct 31.
He was arrested on koh Samui last night and is now being brought back to Phuket.
The case came to light after Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee posted a warning on Facebook yesterday (Nov 5), alerting authorities and the public to a “new form of drug trafficking” in Phuket.
According to his post, foreigners were placing QR code stickers at tourist spots and public areas that linked to online drug markets. Buyers were allegedly required to join private groups, transfer payments via cryptocurrency, and then meet at designated pickup points.
Police launched an investigation after the social media post went viral, leading them to Soi Bang Tao 2, where officers discovered several stickers printed with abbreviations for illegal substances including KOKC, MET, KET, LSD, MDMA, AMF, ONT, and MEF, alongside a QR code.
Scanning the QR code directed users to a website called ‘THAIHUB.TOP’, which was accessible in both English and Russian and required login credentials.
CCTV footage from the area showed a man on a black, Phuket-registered Honda ADV 160 motorbike posting the stickers. Investigators traced the motorcycle to a rental company in Karon called Cool Rental, which confirmed the renter matched the suspect seen in the footage.
Following this confirmation, Cherng Talay Police filed a complaint for unauthorised drug advertising, and the Phuket Provincial Court yesterday issued an arrest warrant (No. 1041/2025) for Mr Kasparian.
Police have seized the stickers as evidence and are investigating whether the suspect is part of a larger drug network operating across Phuket.
Phuket MP Chalermpong Saengdee has called for urgent action from law enforcement and digital authorities, warning that such online operations are “spreading alarmingly fast” and could harm Phuket’s image as a world-class tourist destination.
“Foreigners are now using QR codes to link to online drug trading groups,” Mr Chalermpong said. “This system uses cryptocurrency to transfer money and arrange deliveries. Relevant agencies must move quickly to identify and suppress these networks before they damage Phuket’s reputation.”
After posting his first warning, Mr Chalermpong and his team soon found similar stickers in Patong and other tourist areas, expressing concern over lax enforcement.
Police have since launched a wider investigation to identify other possible offenders and to locate any remaining stickers or online links connected to the case.
Cherng Talay Police Superintendent Pol Lt Col Ekkarat Phlaiduang confirmed that officers are now working with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and cybercrime units to trace the origins of the online network.
“This is a new form of drug promotion using digital tools,” he said. “We are coordinating with other agencies to block related websites and prevent further spread.”
Police have urged the public to report any suspicious QR code stickers or online channels that may be linked to illegal drug activity.