Immigration Arrests Aussie Smuggling Apple iPhones into Thailand

[webfact]

 

Under the policy of Lt. Gen. Itthipol Ittisaranchai, the Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, and Maj. Gen. Phanthana Nuchanarot, the Deputy Commissioner, all units have been instructed to step up crime prevention and suppression efforts, especially focusing on crimes committed by foreigners.

 

Customs officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport called for an inspection of the luggage of Mr. Bradshaw, an Australian national, as he was pushing his suitcase through the “Nothing to Declare” channel.

 

They found over 20 Apple iPhones in his bag. Bradshaw claimed he intended to sell them for a profit. He was charged and handed over to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for legal action. However, while the case was still in court, Mr. Bradshaw left the country and was later issued an arrest warrant.

 

On August 23, 2024, the Investigation Unit of Immigration Division 1, in collaboration with international authorities, discovered that Mr. Bradshaw had changed his nationality to Canadian and reappeared in Bangkok.

 

On August 24, 2024, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasath Khemmasit, Commander of Immigration Division 1, Pol. Col. Rapeepat Utsahasiri, Deputy Commander of Immigration Division 1, and Pol. Col. Katchaphon Pathamang, Superintendent of the Investigation Division, ordered an investigation team led by Pol. Lt. Col. Suriya Phuangsombat, Deputy Superintendent of the Investigation Division, to gather information.

 

They received a tip-off from an informant that a foreigner wanted on an arrest warrant was staying in the Silom area of Bang Rak, Bangkok. The police then deployed around the area.

 

Picture courtesy: Siam Rath

 

After receiving information from the informant that the wanted individual was staying at a luxury hotel in Silom, the arrest team proceeded to the location.

 

They found a foreigner matching the description of the person on the arrest warrant. The officers identified themselves as immigration police and showed their identification. Upon checking his passport or travel documents, it was confirmed that the individual was Mr. Bradshaw, aged 39, now a Canadian national, who had been granted a tourist visa.

 

The officers had Mr. Bradshaw verify his name, date of birth, and photo. They showed him the arrest warrant, which he acknowledged as being for him, and confirmed that he had not been arrested for this case before.

 

The officers informed him of his rights and allowed him to contact relatives or a trusted person to inform them of his arrest. The arrest team then handed him over to the investigating officer for legal proceedings.

 

The Immigration Bureau calls on the public to report any suspicious activity. They can be reached via their hotline at 1178.

 

-- 2024-08-26

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

[2baht]

Damn Canadians!

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

Damn Canadians!

Err Aussie ?

[Upnotover]

So when did they originally detain him, before he popped home and became Canadian?

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

Under the policy of Lt. Gen. Itthipol Ittisaranchai, the Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, and Maj. Gen. Phanthana Nuchanarot, the Deputy Commissioner, all units have been instructed to step up crime prevention and suppression efforts, especially focusing on crimes committed by foreigners.

 

Customs officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport called for an inspection of the luggage of Mr. Bradshaw, an Australian national, as he was pushing his suitcase through the “Nothing to Declare” channel.

 

They found over 20 Apple iPhones in his bag. Bradshaw claimed he intended to sell them for a profit. He was charged and handed over to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for legal action. However, while the case was still in court, Mr. Bradshaw left the country and was later issued an arrest warrant.

 

On August 23, 2024, the Investigation Unit of Immigration Division 1, in collaboration with international authorities, discovered that Mr. Bradshaw had changed his nationality to Canadian and reappeared in Bangkok.

 

On August 24, 2024, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasath Khemmasit, Commander of Immigration Division 1, Pol. Col. Rapeepat Utsahasiri, Deputy Commander of Immigration Division 1, and Pol. Col. Katchaphon Pathamang, Superintendent of the Investigation Division, ordered an investigation team led by Pol. Lt. Col. Suriya Phuangsombat, Deputy Superintendent of the Investigation Division, to gather information.

 

They received a tip-off from an informant that a foreigner wanted on an arrest warrant was staying in the Silom area of Bang Rak, Bangkok. The police then deployed around the area.

 

Picture courtesy: Siam Rath

 

After receiving information from the informant that the wanted individual was staying at a luxury hotel in Silom, the arrest team proceeded to the location.

 

They found a foreigner matching the description of the person on the arrest warrant. The officers identified themselves as immigration police and showed their identification. Upon checking his passport or travel documents, it was confirmed that the individual was Mr. Bradshaw, aged 39, now a Canadian national, who had been granted a tourist visa.

 

The officers had Mr. Bradshaw verify his name, date of birth, and photo. They showed him the arrest warrant, which he acknowledged as being for him, and confirmed that he had not been arrested for this case before.

 

The officers informed him of his rights and allowed him to contact relatives or a trusted person to inform them of his arrest. The arrest team then handed him over to the investigating officer for legal proceedings.

 

The Immigration Bureau calls on the public to report any suspicious activity. They can be reached via their hotline at 1178.

 

-- 2024-08-26

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Well, leaving the country without the phones would have been to me the better choice.

However, too late. Now he have to face a hefty fine, jail? and will be banned to enter Thailand at least for 5-10 years.

Not the brightest candle I'd say.

[grain]

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

[MalcolmB]

25 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

So when did they originally detain him, before he popped home and became Canadian?

 

5 minutes ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

They like to throw in two or three of these doesn’t make sense stories everyday.

[phetphet]

I wonder how much the informant got paid for such a major criminal.

[lordgrinz]

4 minutes ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

 

Exactly, what kind of profit could he make, unless those phones were stolen in Australia. Plus, if he is 39 yrs old, those were some really rough years. With fingerprinting on entering, I don't see how he thought he would get away with reentering under a different passport. But I am surprised that when his fingerprints were taken at the airport, that the system didn't immediately flag him, I guess the immigration system isn't as sophisticated as I thought.

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

They received a tip-off from an informant that a foreigner wanted on an arrest warrant was staying in the Silom area of Bang Rak, Bangkok. The police then deployed around the area.

Unless there's more to the story than mentioned it seems like a massive over reaction for what would be a Customs offence of avoiding duty, Confiscation of the goods would probably have been sufficient punishment.

Meanwhile the Chinese Mafia continue to...............

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

Maybe it makes more sense if you consider they might be stolen, and he bought them for a very low price. As you surely understand, he would not buy a thing he expects to sell for a bigger amount then he get.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Bradshaw had changed his nationality to Canadian and reappeared in Bangkok.

What a fool.............

[brianthainess]

1 hour ago, Upnotover said:

So when did they originally detain him, before he popped home and became Canadian?

I would suspect he has duel nationality as I do, I am on my AU passport with my extension in that, but I am from the UK so could leave and reenter on that. 

[Upnotover]

15 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I would suspect he has duel nationality as I do, I am on my AU passport with my extension in that, but I am from the UK so could leave and reenter on that. 

I realise that but somewhat surprised they needed a tip off from an informant to locate him, one would have thought their immigration systems would have picked him up on re-entry.  And still no timeline.

[The Fugitive]

Surprised 20 iPhones didn't ring alarm bells at the boarding stage. Both hand and hold luggage is X-rayed. However, if they'd been in his hold luggage they probably wouldn't have arrived.

[The Fugitive]

1 minute ago, Upnotover said:

I realise that but somewhat surprised they needed a tip off from an informant to locate him, one would have thought their immigration systems would have picked him up on re-entry.  And still no timeline.

Good point! Could be he quickly skipped Thailand whilst on police bail and re-entered before the police processed his arrest warrant and input it into the immigration system?

[Taboo2]

This man is a MORE RUN....and should be in the BKK Hilton and the blacklisted forever!

[Will B Good]

 

 

 

Presumably crimes committed, convictions and time served in Thailand count for diddly squat in Australia......isn't that how it works? 

 

 

 

[bradiston]

4 hours ago, Upnotover said:

So when did they originally detain him, before he popped home and became Canadian?

Yeah, my question too. No dates given, and no sources.

[Aviatorhi]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I would suspect he has duel nationality as I do, I am on my AU passport with my extension in that, but I am from the UK so could leave and reenter on that. 

How do you leave on the UK passport I'd you don't have an entry stamp in it?

[bradiston]

1 minute ago, bradiston said:

Yeah, my question too. No dates given, and no sources.

2017! In Thai Examiner:

 

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2024/08/24/bizarre-arrest-of-an-international-man-of-man-of-mystery-travelling-on-multiple-passport-in-bangkok/

[bradiston]

4 hours ago, Upnotover said:

So when did they originally detain him, before he popped home and became Canadian?

2017!

 

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2024/08/24/bizarre-arrest-of-an-international-man-of-man-of-mystery-travelling-on-multiple-passport-in-bangkok/

[crazykopite]

3 hours ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

Unless there knock off or refurbished

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, Aviatorhi said:

How do you leave on the UK passport I'd you don't have an entry stamp in it?

 

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I would suspect he has duel nationality as I do, I am on my AU passport with my extension in that, but I am from the UK so could leave and reenter on that. 

I did not say I could leave on my UK passport, what I was trying to say is I can leave on my AU passport, then come back in on my UK one. Sorry if you found that confusing.

[sallecc]

3 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Unless there's more to the story than mentioned it seems like a massive over reaction for what would be a Customs offence of avoiding duty, Confiscation of the goods would probably have been sufficient punishment.

Meanwhile the Chinese Mafia continue to...............

Yeah it's unbelievable (anywhere else)... Look at all those majors and generals included in this investigation, you'd think Escobar himself resurrected and started drugs operation in BKK.

[Sig]

Being that there was an informant, it sounds like he must have blabbed his big mouth to someone about what he'd done and was probably really proud of how brilliant he was in getting around their system. Beginning with the iPhone incident and on to this... I suspect that his IQ isn't particularly astonishing. Who knows what other illegal stupidity he's mixed up in.... A drain on society. Should be flushed down the drain... definitely deserves a wake up call with a bit of time behind bars.

 

[bradiston]

3 hours ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

These were iPhone 8s, and banned for use in Thailand back in 2017, when he was stopped at customs in BKK.

[Will B Good]

Just now, bradiston said:

These were iPhone 8s, and banned for use in Thailand back in 2017, when he was stopped at customs in BKK.

 

 

Banned???

[dougieboy]

4 hours ago, grain said:

Doesn't make sense. An iphone 16pro 6gb/128 retails in Thailand for 37,000 Bt. And in Australia sells for $1,849, which is approx 43,000 Bt. So he's smuggling iphones into Thailand to sell at a loss of 6000 bt per phone?

I think iPhone 16 is not available until 20th September 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

They found over 20 Apple iPhones in his bag. Bradshaw claimed he intended to sell them for a profit. He was charged and handed over to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station for legal action. However, while the case was still in court, Mr. Bradshaw left the country and was later issued an arrest warrant

I don't think he'll be back...