A 33-year-old British man, referred to as Mr. Amir, has been apprehended by Thai authorities in connection with the alleged contract killing of an Iraqi cartel member on Phuket island.
Amir is accused of providing firearms to Colombian national Fernando Estaid Guevara Sanchez, 39, who allegedly opened fire on Ameer Mundher Mahmood, 24, a Swedish citizen, in a public area on February 7. Following the incident, Fernando was taken into custody on charges including premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm.
Authorities identified Amir as the individual who supplied the weapons used in the attack while Ameer was cleaning his motorcycle outside a hotel. Police tracked him down to a luxury apartment in Pattaya, a well-known coastal city.
Amir was arrested under a warrant for aiding and abetting premeditated murder, as well as for illegally possessing and carrying firearms in a public space. During his arrest, Amir was recorded confirming his identity, after which officers discovered a knife at his bedside along with two mobile phones.
In response to police inquiries, Amir claimed, “I don’t have a gun, I don’t understand why, I don’t know anything about guns, man, I never did anything, there’s nothing here illegal, bro, I promise.” He further stated that a razor found in the apartment was for shaving.
Natthasak Chaowanasai, the head of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), reported that Amir was uncooperative and has been remanded in custody. He explained, “The motive for the murder was a conflict of interest within an international cartel. The shooting caused panic in a public place where many tourists visit.” Chaowanasai added that the investigation indicated the murder was not a personal dispute, but rather a systematic assassination linked to significant disagreements within a major international drug cartel.
Officers noted that Amir had been residing in Pattaya for several months before his arrest. A raid on his rented accommodation resulted in the seizure of various pieces of evidence believed to be associated with the case.
Amir was later transferred to the Patong district police station for legal proceedings and continued investigation into other members of the transnational network involved.
CCTV footage had previously emerged showing Fernando, dressed in a black shirt, approaching Ameer and firing multiple shots. Ameer was subsequently rushed to Patong Hospital but succumbed to severe injuries, including a gunshot wound that exited his torso. The scene was secured by police, who discovered bloodstains and spent bullet casings scattered across the road.
Further investigation revealed that Fernando had arrived on the island on January 7 and was scheduled to depart on Qatar Airways flight QR843 on February 8, the day following the alleged contract killing. According to police Major General Sinlert Sukhum, “We believe that the suspect was hired from abroad to murder this Iraqi man while he was visiting Phuket.”
Source: The Mirror
