Diesels Are the New Heroin

BANGKOK, Thailand—Not long ago, backpackers in Thailand running short of cash would smuggle weed, heroin, hashish—even yaba, southeast Asia’s version of speed. But after so many horror stories about Thai prisons, what was once a quasi-romantic risk is now strictly for corrupt border cops and Chinese mobsters.

The traveler in Thailand is no longer sticking baggies of smack up his crack and praying for a short-fingered customs official; he’s hawking designer knockoffs on auction sites like eBay. Diesel and Lacoste are the most popular brands, but Birkenstock and Adidas are known moneymakers. They mail the merchandise from Bangkok and pray their buyers don’t call bullshit.  (Wired)