Arrest of Hells Angels drugs suspect highlights leading problem facing Pattaya

[webfact]

Arrest of Hells Angels drugs suspect highlights leading problem facing Pattaya

 

Picture: Thai News Agency

 

The arrest of Luke Joshua Cook and his Thai wife in Bangkok on drugs charges is one small cog in a large wheel of crime concerning the international trade in hard drugs.

 

One of the places that this trade impacts is Pattaya as well as Bangkok, reported TNA.

 

Cook, 34, and Kanyarat Wechapitak, 40, were connected to the 2015 abduction and murder of Wayne Schneider in Pattaya. They are also believed to be behind the dumping of 50 kilos of methamphetamine that washed ashore off Sattahip.

 

This was part of a larger shipment of 500 kilograms.

 

Information from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) lists European Mafia - of which Cook is a part - as being the number two problem group in the world for international drug running and other major crime.

 

Reporting on the issue Thai News Agency said that European Mafia manifests itself in many forms in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket in particular.

 

They hide behind sometime legitimate front companies and are involved in extortion, drug running, money laundering and human trafficking.

 

UNODC state the Yakuza as still being the world's biggest threat though their impact on Thailand is largely in Bangkok.

 

Number 4 on the top ten list of crime gangs are those involved in fake passports while 6 also impacts Thailand - Chinese nationals using fake ID in third countries. Call center gangs - under the spotlight in Thailand in recent months in particular are listed at 6th place.

 

In terms of the international trade in illegal drugs the world and Asia in particular has seen the biggest rise in methamphetamine over the last dozen years. This includes drugs known in Thailand as Ya Ba and Ice that often feature in the news.

 

Unlike heroin that is centered on Afghanistan or Cocaine from Central America, meth labs can be set up anywhere and the distribution and use of these drugs are causing great problems throughout the world and in Asia.

 

Source: Thai News Agency

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-12-14

 

 

[ezzra]

In order to rid Pattaya, once and for all time, of all the crap and the crimes so rampant there, it has to be razed to the ground and rebuilt again but this

time with a lot more care, but since this isn't going to heppand anytime

soon, Pattaya will continue to be what it is today, a sunny place for lots

of shady caricatures....   

[mikebell]

The leading problem the law-abiding citizens of Pattaya face is the lack of an honest police force.

[marko kok prong]

European Mafia ,first time i have heard such a term used,

[Lupatria]

1 hour ago, marko kok prong said:

European Mafia ,first time i have heard such a term used,

Isn't almost anything related to crime and other disasters related to those people who are not from here?

[masuk]

The Motor bike gangs of Queensland and other states were totally banned in recent years.   The police knew where the problems were coming from and even belonging to such a gang was illegal.   Sounds tough, but it's no nanny state.

Just sorry the rubbish has ended up in Thailand.

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

The leading problem the law-abiding citizens of Pattaya face is the lack of an honest police force.

Bingo!

[IamNoone88]

Interesting. European mafia, Japanese Yakusa, Chinese gangs. No mention of Thai mafia involvement. Must be all those outsiders again.

[sammieuk1]

Mafia manifests itself in many forms in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket and is known by the universal name corruption !

[jinners]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

In order to rid Pattaya, once and for all time, of all the crap and the crimes so rampant there, it has to be razed to the ground and rebuilt again but this

time with a lot more care, but since this isn't going to heppand anytime

soon, Pattaya will continue to be what it is today, a sunny place for lots

of shady caricatures....   

Well, misspelling to one side, I assume you missed the report where it stated Bangkok and Phuket are highly involved  and chose to direct your negativity on Pattaya for some unknown reason?

[hobz]

I bet more lives are ruined by drunk driving and reckless driving than drugs and other crime combined in pattaya. just saying.

[monspencer]

The opening post says " the distribution and use of these drugs are causing great problems throughout the world and in Asia".

 

So does that mean that Asia is not part of this world? Great journalism once again, lol.

[Sparkles]

1 hour ago, masuk said:

The Motor bike gangs of Queensland and other states were totally banned in recent years.   The police knew where the problems were coming from and even belonging to such a gang was illegal.   Sounds tough, but it's no nanny state.

Just sorry the rubbish has ended up in Thailand.

Most of the rubbish washes up in Thailand for the simple reason it can thrive without interference.

[hobobo]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

Bingo!

Probably banned, same is bridge  555

[Blackheart1916]

5 hours ago, ezzra said:

In order to rid Pattaya, once and for all time, of all the crap and the crimes so rampant there, it has to be razed to the ground and rebuilt again but this

time with a lot more care, but since this isn't going to heppand anytime

soon, Pattaya will continue to be what it is today, a sunny place for lots

of shady caricatures....   

Well for starters , there are not just criminals in Pattaya, it may surprise you but there are normal people too,so no need to raze it.It's not too hard to stay away from the baddies or not get involved with them, and maybe if the BiB had a bit of a go it might be better.

[wvavin]

It is strange that everybody knows but only the authority seems surprised. Not only Pattaya, Phuket is also a drug hub decades ago, thanks to the Royal Thai Police's cooperation.

[cyberfarang]

2 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Isn't almost anything related to crime and other disasters related to those people who are not from here?

It is but in my opinion it is their Thai accomplices who are the worse criminals of the bunch. This is because without their Thai associates, Thai connections and accomplices these foreign criminals would not be able to operate in Thailand.

 

Thais that use their names to front illegal foreign businesses and criminal activities in Thailand should face the same sentences or even harsher sentences then the foreign criminals they are protecting under their wings.

[Rimmer]

A flame has been removed

[thurien]

2 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Interesting. European mafia, Japanese Yakusa, Chinese gangs. No mention of Thai mafia involvement. Must be all those outsiders again.

 

Thai mafia mostly comprise of Chinese (umpteenth generation in TH already, but with all their connections word-wide they just can't skip it...)

[asiamaster]

I thought the guy was from Australia? So how can they talk about European mafia. Or maybe they thought it was Austria again ...

[holy cow cm]

Been a lot of angels not running their flags but wear H.A shirts in CM a couple of weeks ago. Their bar also took down the H.A double sided sign that was up high on the front 2 story wall about 2-3 months ago. If you di not look up, you wouldn't see it. They knew some trouble was coming down the pike. 

[ripstanley]

This story was in the Australian media 2 days ago

 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/aussie-hells-angels-member-arrested-over-huge-drug-haul-in-thailand-20171212-h0349a.html

[observer90210]

Pity that the sexy Sin City has become a crossroad for al such criminal pathological individuals...should they be local, farang or whatever !

[Coconutman]

The last few days the Angel's place has been lights off

[cracker1]

4 hours ago, mikebell said:

The leading problem the law-abiding citizens of Pattaya face is the lack of an honest police force.

I agree 100%

[janclaes47]

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

Pity that the sexy Sin City has become a crossroad for al such criminal pathological individuals...should they be local, farang or whatever !

 

Do you know of any brothels wherever in the world that aren't run by criminals?

 

So what would you have expected in the biggest brothel in the world.

[Media1]

Who ever ramped this story up is the problem Thailand has. It's called shit talkers. This is in every country. My father was a bikie and so what. Get a life 

[Media1]

7 hours ago, monspencer said:

The opening post says " the distribution and use of these drugs are causing great problems throughout the world and in Asia".

 

So does that mean that Asia is not part of this world? Great journalism once again, lol.

Yes clowns 

[whaleboneman]

43 minutes ago, Media1 said:

Who ever ramped this story up is the problem Thailand has. It's called shit talkers. This is in every country. My father was a bikie and so what. Get a life 

apple...tree

[gandalf12]

11 hours ago, marko kok prong said:

European Mafia ,first time i have heard such a term used,

The Italian mafia are European