A British tourist lost his cool while going through airport security before throwing a tantrum which allegedly caused cocaine to fall from his pocket.
Marc Patrick Wharton, 42, had flown from Shanghai in China to the island of Phuket in Thailand when suspicious officers pulled him aside.
Wharton then allegedly began throwing a tantrum – rampaging through the hall before rolling on the ground.
But the alleged ploy to distract the officers backfired when 4.11 grams (0.15 ounces) of cocaine allegedly fell from his pocket.
Wharton continued rolling on the ground, allegedly dusting the floor with a trail of white powder.
Footage shows the man lying on his back as he frantically beat his chest and pleaded for help during the incident on February 18.
He kicked his legs up into the air while crying in panic that he was going to die.
However, he was arrested and taken into custody to wait for a court hearing, which could see him jailed for life in a Thai prison.
Police at the Phuket International Airport said they tested the white powder he had allegedly dropped and confirmed that it was cocaine.
They seized the broken plastic bag and vacuumed up the rest of the Class A powder which had spilled onto the carpet.
Officials said the man had arrived on Phuket island on Juneyao Air flight HO 1323 from Shanghai but the alleged cocaine had evaded Communist police.
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Police Major Akkarapon Akkraphon, immigration checkpoint inspector at the airport, said: “We charged the tourist with importing a Category II narcotic into the country and illegally possessing it. He was handed over to the inquiry officer of the Sakhu Police Station for legal action.”
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.
In May last year, Jamie Louis Swain, 29, from north London, was arrested in Phuket when the immigration desk allegedly found cocaine tucked inside his passport.
Officers said the man reacted with surprise, swearing and shaking, prompting authorities to conduct further inspections.
He was taken into custody and sent to court but surfaced again in England a few months later – with his mum complaining that he had been set up by the police.