Christmas capture or a holiday take down: A Russian tourist, an accomplice in a Phuket hit job in June, is arrested. Alleged link to June assassination attempt on a compatriot. Police pounce at the airport on intelligence received and confirmed online.
Police in Phuket arrested a Russian national who arrived off a flight from Moscow on Christmas Day. The 53-year-old is believed to be an accomplice in an attempted murder of another Russian on the holiday island in June this year.
Immigration police in Phuket have announced the arrest on Christmas Day of a Russian hitman. The man was involved in an attempted murder incident on June 7th last when a gunman on a motorbike fired shots and injured a Russian national outside a popular restaurant in the Choeng Talay sub-district of Thalang in Phuket.
That incident, which occurred at 11.45 am on that morning, left 44-year-old Mr Dmitri Alenikov with three bullet wounds after being hit in the chest, torso, and upper arm.
44-year-old Russian suffered three gunshot wounds in an attempted hit on June 7th last in the Thalang district of Phuket outside his favourite restaurant
In all, four shots were fired at his electric car, which had pulled up outside a restaurant he normally frequented. Mr Alenikov was shot at by a gunman on a Yamaha motorbike wearing a green jacket and red helmet.
Hitman in attack on a Russian in Phuket arrested at the airport after making it easy for police
Later, after an extensive police search and chase, 49-year-old Mr Arthur Legay was arrested.
He was detained at Phuket International Airport in connection with the attempted assassination. At length, it was reported the hit was ordered by a crime lord in Kazakhstan.
Accomplice to the attempted murder identified by police investigators a month later and an arrest warrant sought from the Provincial Court on July 23rd
Meanwhile, the arrest which occurred on Christmas Day related to a second suspect in the case.
Previously, this suspect was identified by police investigators in July. Officers sought and obtained an arrest warrant, Provincial Court No. 402-2566 dated 23 July 2023.
In summary, the accused is wanted for crimes including threatening, hiring or instigating the attempted murder of a Russian national.
The man arrested under the warrant on Christmas Day is reported to be a 53-year-old Russian national named Mr Alexander.
Evidently, Phuket police received intelligence, suggesting that the suspect was travelling to Thailand.
Significantly, the intelligence also specified that Mr Alexander would be travelling on Aeroflight SU-274 from Moscow International Airport to Phuket International Airport.
Police confirmed their intelligence online and waited
Consequently, Immigration Bureau police were able to confirm this on their APPS advance passenger screening system. All they had to do was wait for their man’s arrival.
The flight touched down at 10.20 am on Christmas Day and immigration police were waiting for their prey.
Once Mr Alexander had landed and was cleared through passport control, he was arrested. It is understood he entered Thailand as a tourist. Immigration Bureau police officers served him with the arrest warrant.
The accused was then taken into custody at Chang Talay police station where legal proceedings were initiated against him.
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Further reading:
Hitman in attack on a Russian in Phuket arrested at the airport after making it easy for police
Russian mafia gang extort young Russian couple out of $50k at a local coffee shop on Ko Samui
Russian faces counterfeit charges after gifting toy money to bar staff while also paying in baht
