On Thursday, police apprehended a 33-year-old British man identified only as Amir at a condominium in Pattaya. He is accused of providing a firearm to a Colombian hitman who was involved in the murder of an Iraqi national in Phuket in February, allegedly linked to a dispute over drug trafficking.
According to Pol Maj Gen Pattanasak Bupasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), the arrest took place in the resort city located in Chon Buri. Amir was wanted under a warrant from the Phuket Provincial Court issued on February 12, facing multiple charges including abetting premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and carrying firearms in public without authorization.
The incident that triggered the investigation occurred on February 7, when a 24-year-old Iraqi man was fatally shot on Sirirat Road in Patong, within Phuket’s Kathu district. Following the shooting, police arrested a Colombian man alleged to be the gunman, who was discovered hiding near Phuket International Airport as he attempted to flee the country.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the weapon used in the homicide had been supplied by a group of foreign individuals to the Colombian assailant, indicating a well-orchestrated operation. Authorities suspect that the murder was orchestrated as part of an internal conflict within an international drug trafficking organization.
The Phuket Provincial Court sanctioned the arrest warrant for Amir after determining his involvement in the acquisition of the firearm. During police questioning, Amir denied all allegations and was subsequently transferred to the Patong police station for further legal action.
Source: Bangkok Post
