BANGKOK – A French fugitive wanted over alleged drug smuggling between Europe and the Americas was arrested in Pattaya on Monday, Thai police said. The suspect, a 32-year-old man known only as “Bones”, was listed on an Interpol red notice.
An Interpol red notice flags a person wanted under a national arrest warrant or court order and asks police worldwide to help track them down.
Pol Maj Gen Songprote Sirisukkha, commander of Immigration Division 3, said officers took the man into custody in Pattaya. French authorities say he is linked to a major drug cartel based in and around Paris.
He faces allegations tied to drug smuggling and organised crime. In France, the offences can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Police said Mr Bones arrived in Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport last month. He then travelled straight to Pattaya, where investigators believe he went into hiding while planning to move on to a third country. Immigration officers have cancelled his visa and are working on his extradition.
Police Bust Russian Selling Magic Mushrooms
In Phuket, police say they have broken up a group of Russians accused of selling magic mushrooms as a form of stress relief from a rented home in Muang district. The group reportedly called the property the “Mushroom Temple”.
Officers raided a house in tambon Rawai after receiving information that psilocybin mushrooms, often known as magic mushrooms, were being sold there, according to Pol Col Jongserm Pricha, chief investigator for Police Region 8.
Investigators said the suspects presented themselves as stress relief “experts” and promoted mushroom use for spiritual effects. They added that they charged clients, mostly foreigners, for therapy-style sessions, with higher fees for additional treatments.
During the raid, officers seized 140 bags containing about 10 kilograms of magic mushrooms. Two Russian men, identified only as Rinat and Aleksandr, were arrested. A third suspect, Landysh, escaped, Pol Col Jongserm said. Under Thai law, magic mushrooms are a Category 5 illicit drug. Possession, sale, or use is illegal and can bring tough penalties.
