Australian bikie gangs increasingly involved in the international drug trade business using Thailand as a base to supply drugs to Australia and worldwide from southern China and the Golden Triangle area.
Thai police smashed a drug distribution base linked with an international drugs gang on Thursday evening when a task force broke into a substantial private residence in Pattaya.
Heavily armed Thai police stormed a walled and gated property in Pattaya on Thursday in a drugs raid targeted at the activities of Australian motorbike gangs in the resort city thought to be heavily involved in the city’s drug trade.
Two Australian men nabbed when officers broke into the gated and walled property on Thursday
The raid on Thursday evening saw officers frantically scale a closed gate at the property as they raced to keep the element of surprise.
Two Australian men were arrested after officers broke into the property in force as well as a Nigerian national and three Thai women.
Over 1.2kg of crystal ice found at the scene
Police later revealed that over 1.2kgs of crustal ice had been found in the course of a search of the property including several guns including a Smith and Wesson revolver.
The two Australian men have been named as 46-year-old Jamie Robert Hanson and 58-year-old Steven Brett Hovi. The Nigerian was identified as 38-year-old Chimezie Stanley Duru while two Thai women were named as 35-year-old Jiraporn Kiatsutthachit and 34-year-old Wirapha Ungsri. A third Thai woman detained has not been identified.
Thai police linked to raid to two notorious Aussie bikie gangs now operating in Thailand
Thai police are linking the raid to two notorious bikie gangs heavily involved with Australia’s underworld and crime rackets including the Hells Angels gang which has been linked to serious crime in Pattaya for some time and the Comanchero bikie’s gang.
Comanchero bikie boss refused entry to the kingdom
Last August, the boss of the Comanchero bikie gang Michael O’ Brien was refused entry to Thailand when he arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport for a holiday in Thailand and was forced to return to Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne.
Evidence of massive drug dealing found at home
Thai police on Thursday at a press conference indicated that the gang had been supplying drugs to tourists in resort city. In a search of the property, they discovered no less than 7 cash tablets as well as 12 separate debits cards indicating that the home on the quiet residential road was, in fact, the commercial headquarters of a thriving drug distribution effort.
Police also seized a Toyota Vios car which was driven to police headquarters after the raid and subsequent arrests of the occupants of the property. The raid occurred at 5.30 pm.
Thai police working with Australian authorities
It is understood that Thai police in Pattaya and Bangkok have been working closely with the Federal Police in Canberra in combating drug gangs operating between Thailand and Australia.
In October, a Hells Angel gang member was arrested by Thai police in Pattaya. This arrest occurred after Thai police authorities met with officials at the Australian Embassy in Bangkok to discuss the nefarious activities of the Australian bikie gangs in Thailand.
Death penalty a distinct possibility for all 6 arrested
All those arrested yesterday will face the distinct possibility of the death sentence for large scale drug dealing.
The death penalty was already handed down to Australian man Luke Cook from Perth and his Thai wife Kanyarat Wechapitak. The couple were condemned by a Thai court last December for their part in a drug-smuggling operation.
The couple denied any involvement with drugs but had been linked to the Hells Angels bikie gang in Pattaya.
Bikie gangs an escalating concern for police
These gangs are known to have established links with drug kingpins in the Southern Chinese province and drug lords in the infamous golden triangle area.
Their operations have been escalating with drugs shipments not only supplying the booming Australian narcotics market but also being sent to NewZealand and European countries.
Further reading:
Aussie biker gang boss on bail turned away from Thailand by immigration as he arrived on holidays
Scotsman known as ‘Big Daddy’ escapes Thailand before arrest warrant issued for human trafficking
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