Bizarre arrest in Bangkok: International man of mystery caught travelling on multiple passports. Canadian suspect, previously wanted for smuggling iPhones in 2017, returns to Thailand under a different identity and is apprehended in Silom.
Immigration Bureau officers on Saturday arrested a Canadian passport holder in the Silom area of the city. Acting on an international tip-off, officers were informed that the man was already wanted under a 2017 arrest warrant for smuggling. At that time, he had entered Thailand as an Australian citizen. In 2017, the suspect had been found with 26 of the latest Apple iPhone models valued at ฿1 million at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Nonetheless, the foreigner returned to Thailand under another identity and nationality seven years later.
Police in Bangkok on Saturday arrested a man believed to be a 38-year-old Canadian national in the Silom area. The arrest followed an international tip-off to the police. On Saturday, police released a blurred photo of the man and identified him as Mr. Bradshaw.
The Canadian, who had entered Thailand on a visa waiver, was the same person as an Australian detained by police on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Previously, police detained the same man identified as 38-year-old Ho Wun Howard Lee, a music producer from Australia. He was found in possession of 26 iPhone 8 models worth over ฿1 million at that time.
Police confiscated the Smartphones and charged him with violating Customs and Telecom laws in Thailand
The smartphones were confiscated, and police charged him with violating customs in addition to telecommunications laws. Back in 2017, the iPhone 8 was not allowed to be sold in Thailand.
However, the Australian national had walked through a lane indicating nothing to declare. After customs officers discovered the iPhones in his luggage, he explained that he was not aware he had to declare his personal possessions.
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He admitted freely that he intended to sell the phones but not in Thailand. Certainly, at that time, he told officers that he intended to sell the phones in Singapore. Mr. Lee had been travelling from Australia to Singapore, claiming he was simply transiting through Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Customs officers’ suspicions in 2017 led to a smuggling charge with potential ten-year prison sentence and fine
However, customs officers in 2017 pulled him over because he was thought to be acting suspiciously. At that time, the Australian faced a charge of smuggling, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years, in addition to a fine of up to four times the value of the smuggled goods.
Customs officers easily spotted the goods through an X-ray of Mr. Lee’s luggage. Nonetheless, he was subsequently released and fled the country before answering the charges.
That was until Saturday when he was confronted by officers at an upmarket apartment complex in Silom. He quickly admitted that he was the same person in the 2017 warrant. At the same time, he insisted to officers that he had not been arrested previously on other charges.
Mystery remains as the suspect is arrested again. May have been travelling under a false passport and identity
Of course, neither could he explain why he was travelling under a completely different identity. Afterwards, he reportedly attempted to contact relatives to help him deal with the situation.
At the same time, officers formally arrested him under the 2017 warrant and took him into custody. It is understood that he will be prosecuted for smuggling. However, it is still not clear who this man is or where he lives.
Certainly, this could be the basis for further investigation and prosecution if it is found the suspect was travelling under a false passport.
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