PHUKET: The arrest of gun-for-hire Joseph 'Rambo' Hunter in a raid on a Phuket house has led to the conviction in New York of a nest of international drug smugglers who made the holiday island a base for business.
Former Phuket resident from Britain, Scott Stammers, 46, who was involved in a plot to peddle methamphetamines bought from North Korea pleaded guilty on Thursday to conspiring to import the drugs from Thailand to America.
Stammers and four other foreigners were arrested in September, 2013, as they prepared to ship the drugs out of Thailand by boat. They were extradited that November.
Stammers faces 10 years to life in prison when sentenced by a US judge at a date to be set. Three of the other defendants also pleaded guilty earlier this month.
Stammers acknowledged that he conspired to import 100 kilos of pure North Korean methamphetamines from Thailand to the US, US prosecutors said.
The others charged are Lim Ye Tiong Tan, 53, a Chinese citizen; Filipino Kelly Allan Reyes Peralta, 41, and long-time Phuket resident Alexander Lnu, 43, a Slovak aka Alexander Checov, aka Alexander Semencov.
Lnu was allegedly ''sergeant at arms'' of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club (OMC) on the island. International and Phuket police remain aware of other motorcycle club members on Phuket.
AFP reports that the fifth man accused of involvement in the drug scheme, 32-year-old Philip Shackels, also British, is scheduled to go on trial in New York on September 21.
Lnu was the Thailand contact for the gang, arranging housing, transportation and smuggling methods into and out of Phuket.
The gang was exposed when Lnu made a deal to hire Joseph Manuel ''Rambo'' Hunter, 48, an American who had served in the US military as a sniper instructor. Hunter and his Filipino girlfriend ran drug operations from a house in Kathu district.
Hunter, who was arrested at the same time as the drug gang, pled guilty last February to charges of conspiring to murder.
He was convicted of running a gang of military-trained snipers who were to carry out contract killings for two Colombian drug cartels.
Former Phuket resident from Britain, Scott Stammers, 46, who was involved in a plot to peddle methamphetamines bought from North Korea pleaded guilty on Thursday to conspiring to import the drugs from Thailand to America.
Stammers and four other foreigners were arrested in September, 2013, as they prepared to ship the drugs out of Thailand by boat. They were extradited that November.
Stammers faces 10 years to life in prison when sentenced by a US judge at a date to be set. Three of the other defendants also pleaded guilty earlier this month.
Stammers acknowledged that he conspired to import 100 kilos of pure North Korean methamphetamines from Thailand to the US, US prosecutors said.
The others charged are Lim Ye Tiong Tan, 53, a Chinese citizen; Filipino Kelly Allan Reyes Peralta, 41, and long-time Phuket resident Alexander Lnu, 43, a Slovak aka Alexander Checov, aka Alexander Semencov.
Lnu was allegedly ''sergeant at arms'' of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club (OMC) on the island. International and Phuket police remain aware of other motorcycle club members on Phuket.
AFP reports that the fifth man accused of involvement in the drug scheme, 32-year-old Philip Shackels, also British, is scheduled to go on trial in New York on September 21.
Lnu was the Thailand contact for the gang, arranging housing, transportation and smuggling methods into and out of Phuket.
The gang was exposed when Lnu made a deal to hire Joseph Manuel ''Rambo'' Hunter, 48, an American who had served in the US military as a sniper instructor. Hunter and his Filipino girlfriend ran drug operations from a house in Kathu district.
Hunter, who was arrested at the same time as the drug gang, pled guilty last February to charges of conspiring to murder.
He was convicted of running a gang of military-trained snipers who were to carry out contract killings for two Colombian drug cartels.
Evil beyond belief - like something out of a movie.
Glad that (a) the island is well rid of them, & (b) they are facing hefty penalties in their own countries.
These are the people that tarnish the reputations of the many expats who live quietly & peacefully in Thailand.
Posted by Logic on August 28, 2015 09:47
Editor Comment:
I remember a time when residents were keen to make the point that all the misdeeds were carried out by tourists . . . er, well, all the minor stuff. Expat residents have been guilty of just about every crime known to humankind.