Thai Crime Suppression Division officers have arrested a 33-year-old British national in Pattaya over his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old Iraqi man in Phuket earlier this year. The suspect, identified only as Amir, was detained at a condominium in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, on 15 May under a warrant issued by Phuket Provincial Court on 12 February 2026.
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Police said Amir faces charges including supporting premeditated murder, jointly possessing firearms and ammunition, carrying firearms in a public place and supporting the unlawful discharge of a firearm in a community area. The arrest was ordered by senior officers from the Central Investigation Bureau and the Crime Suppression Division following an expanded investigation into the killing.
The case relates to the shooting death of the Iraqi victim on Sirirat Road in Patong, Kathu district, Phuket, on 7 February 2026. Investigators previously raided the accommodation of a Colombian suspect believed to be the gunman, seizing two firearms, ammunition, a motorcycle and clothing allegedly worn during the attack.
Police later tracked down and arrested the Colombian suspect while he was hiding in accommodation near Phuket International Airport, allegedly preparing to flee Thailand. Investigators said the inquiry later uncovered evidence that a group of foreign nationals had supplied the firearm used in the killing and delivered it to the gunman as part of a planned operation.
Authorities believe the shooting was ordered following a dispute linked to a major international drug trafficking gang. Investigators described the operation as organised and pre-planned, leading Phuket Provincial Court to approve an arrest warrant for Amir.
Officers later learned that the British suspect had fled to Pattaya, where he was allegedly hiding in a condominium. Police arrested him and seized several items believed to be connected to the case, although details of the items were not disclosed.
Daily News reported that during questioning, Amir denied all charges. He will handed over to investigators at Patong Police Station for further legal proceedings. The investigation remains ongoing as police continue examining links between the suspects and the alleged international narcotics network.
Picture courtesy of Daily News
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 16 May 2026