Phuket –
Thai police have arrested a 33‑year‑old British national identified only as Mr. Amir, accused of playing a key role in supplying weapons for a cartel‑related assassination in Phuket of an Iraqi man earlier this year.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), under the command of Police Lieutenant General Natthasak Chaonasaai, directed officers from the Crime Suppression Division to raid a luxury condominium in Nong Prue. Acting on a Phuket Provincial Court warrant, authorities detained Mr. Amir on charges of supporting premeditated murder, illegal possession and carrying of firearms, and facilitating gunfire in a public area.
The case stems from a shocking incident on February 7th, 2026, when a 24‑year‑old Iraqi man was gunned down on Siriraj Road in Patong in the Kathu District. The brazen attack, carried out in broad daylight, sent tourists fleeing in panic. Police later tracked down and arrested the suspected shooter, a Colombian national, at a hideout near Phuket Airport, seizing two firearms, ammunition, and a motorcycle used in the crime.
Investigators determined the killing was not a random dispute but a meticulously planned “contract hit” tied to violent disputes within a major transnational drug cartel. Evidence pointed to Mr. Amir as the alleged coordinator who procured weapons for the Colombian gunman and facilitated the operation.
Following the Phuket murder, Amir reportedly fled to Pattaya, where police traced his movements and executed the arrest. Authorities confiscated several items believed to be linked to the case. Despite the evidence, Amir has denied all charges during preliminary questioning.
He has since been transferred to Patong Police Station for prosecution, while investigators continue to probe deeper into the cartel’s international network and its operations in Thailand.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
