Foreign Drug Trafficker Arrested on Koh Phangan with Money Laundering Operation Uncovered

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Immigration Bureau.

 

Surat Thani Immigration Police have apprehended a 36-year-old Italian national, Mr. Federico, for allegedly trafficking drugs and operating a money-laundering scheme under the guise of a registered business on Koh Phangan. The operation, which had been running for nearly two years, involved over 71 million baht in financial transactions.

 

On December 19, at 15:00, Pol. Maj. Gen. Panumas Boonyalak, Acting Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, alongside Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Division 6, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Sermphan Sirikhong, Surat Thani Provincial Police Chief, held a press briefing to announce the arrest.

 

Mr. Federico was apprehended following extended investigations into his drug dealings, which involved selling cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms, substances popular among foreign tourists. Further investigations led to the arrests of two foreign customers who had purchased drugs from Federico. The suspects were identified as Mr. Roman, 37, a French national, and Mr. Anton, 39, a Russian national.

 

The case traces back to March 1, 2024, when immigration police arrested Mr. Peter, a British national, on Koh Samui for possession of illegal drugs. Mr. Peter was sentenced to 5 years and 11 months in prison by the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Subsequent investigations revealed that Mr. Peter had purchased drugs worth over 200,000 baht from Federico over a year-long period.

 

Authorities also uncovered evidence of Federico receiving large sums of money from multiple foreign nationals residing on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. These transactions were believed to be part of a larger drug trafficking network.

 

Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprod revealed that Mr. Anton had established a front company, Pure House Phangan Co., Ltd., to launder money. The company was registered with a capital of 4 million baht and provided cleaning and maintenance services for villas. The business was structured with Thai nationals acting as nominee shareholders to conceal the illegal activities. Investigations found that all investment funds originated from Mr. Anton, who co-managed the business with his Russian wife.

 

Authorities seized 24 items, including:

 

• A bank account with 6.6 million baht.

• A plot of land valued at 8 million baht in the name of Pitya Land Co., Ltd.

• A Mazda car.

 

Additionally, two other land plots and real estate businesses linked to Federico are under investigation for potential nominee arrangements.

 

Mr. Federico faces charges of:

 

• Distributing Category 1 and 2 drugs (MDMA, ecstasy, cocaine)

• Conspiracy to commit serious drug offenses

• Money laundering related to drug trafficking

• Illegal possession of drugs

 

Mr. Anton was charged with:

 

• Violating the Foreign Business Act by illegally operating a business through nominee shareholders

• Engaging in business without proper authorisation

 

Ms. Meena, a Thai shareholder in Mr. Anton’s company, is being prosecuted for aiding and abetting foreign nationals to operate businesses in violation of Thai law.

 

Authorities continue to investigate the involvement of other shareholders in the network. The case highlights the coordinated efforts of law enforcement to dismantle international drug trafficking operations and safeguard Thailand’s legal and economic systems.

 

-- 2024-12-20

 

[Georgealbert]

Foreign Drug Trafficking Gang Busted on Koh Phangan: Over ฿71 Million in Circulation

 

Pictures courtesy of Naewna.

 

A major drug trafficking operation involving foreign nationals has been dismantled on Koh Phangan, with police uncovering a money trail amounting to over ฿71 million. 
 

The bust was announced by Pol. Lt. Gen. Panumart Boonyalak, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau (IB), during a press conference held on December 19.

 

First Case Announced: UK and Italian Nationals Linked to Drug Sales

 

The investigation began on March 1, 2024, when authorities arrested Peter Houl, a British national, on Koh Samui. He was charged with possession of Class 1 and Class 2 drugs, including ecstasy and cocaine, as well as overstaying his visa. Houl was subsequently sentenced to 5 years and 11 months in prison.

 

Further investigations revealed Houl’s connection to Federico Carlo Eugenio Pistolesi, an Italian national suspected of supplying drugs. Over a period of more than a year, transactions exceeding ฿200,000 were traced between the two, with additional funds linked to other foreign residents on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. 
 

Authorities estimate the network’s transactions reached a staggering ฿71 million.

 

On December 11, 2024, armed with warrants, police raided three locations on Koh Phangan and arrested Pistolesi. He was charged with drug trafficking, money laundering, and illegal possession of narcotics, including ecstasy and methamphetamine. Assets seized included a bank account with ฿6.6 million, a plot of land valued at ฿8 million, a Mazda vehicle, and other items. 
 

Authorities are investigating whether Pistolesi’s real estate business served as a front for money laundering activities.

 

Authorities also arrested two other additional individuals connected to the drug network. Roman, a 37-year-old French national, was charged with possession and use of cocaine. Anton, a 39-year-old Russian national, was charged with possession of psilocybin mushrooms.
 

Anton is suspected of using a cleaning services company, registered under a Thai national’s name, as a front for illegal activities. Both suspects were sent to Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal proceedings.

 

The investigation revealed that Anton’s cleaning business, which catered to foreign-owned villas, was structured to bypass Thai laws prohibiting foreign ownership of certain businesses. Thai authorities have filed charges against Anton and the Thai nominee shareholder under the Foreign Business Act of 1999.

 

The gang operated for years, primarily targeting foreign partygoers on Koh Phangan’s nightlife circuit. Authorities plan to investigate additional individuals linked to the network’s financial transactions. Upon completion of legal proceedings, the Immigration Bureau will revoke the offenders’ visas, blacklist them, and deport them from Thailand.

 

 

A Second Unrelated Case was announced of Mongolian National Arrested for Online Gambling.

 

Police arrested Herkes Purevsuren, a 33-year-old Mongolian national wanted by Interpol under a Red Notice for operating an illegal online gambling platform.

 

Purevsuren was found hiding in Koh Samui and is awaiting deportation. The gambling operation reportedly attracted 2.6 million followers and generated significant profits through its social media-linked promotions.

 

Pol. Lt. Gen. Panumart emphasised that these crackdowns aligns with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s policy to protect Thailand’s tourism reputation. The Immigration Bureau has been instructed to collaborate with local police to investigate suspicious foreign-owned businesses and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.

 

“These operations sends a clear message that Thailand will not tolerate illegal activities that tarnish its image as a world-class tourist destination,” said Panumart.

 

-- 2024-12-20

 

[webfact]

Koh Pha Ngan drug bust: Italian, French, Russian men arrested
by Petch Petpailin

 

Photo via Matichon

Immigration Bureau officers yesterday launched a major operation into foreign drug traffickers on Koh Pha Ngan, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani, resulting in the arrest of Italian, French, and Russian suspects.

 

Officers from the Immigration Bureau yesterday, December 19 arrested Koh Pha Ngan’s leading drug dealer, reported to be a 36 year old Italian man named Federico Carlo Eugenio Pistolesi.

 

Investigators uncovered over 71 million baht in earnings from drug sales circulating through Pistolesi’s bank accounts.

 

The arrest followed an earlier case involving an Englishman named Peter, who was apprehended on March 1. Peter was allegedly found buying drugs from Pistolesi, having transferred over 200,000 baht to the Italian man over the past year.

Following Peter’s arrest, police conducted further investigations into Pistolesi’s operations. Evidence revealed that Pistolesi received substantial amounts of money from local retail drug dealers and users, ultimately leading to his capture yesterday.

 

During the operation, police seized 24 pieces of evidence, including a bank account with 6.6 million baht in savings, 8 million baht worth of land, a sedan, and narcotics such as cocaine and magic mushrooms.

 

Photo via Matichon

Officers also discovered that Pistolesi was listed as the managing director of a real estate company. Police are now investigating whether the company was operating legally.

 

Pistolesi faces three charges under Thailand’s Narcotics Control Act:

 

* Section 145: Producing, importing, exporting, distributing, or possessing Category 1 narcotics. This carries a penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of between 200,000 and 2 million baht.

* Section 146: Producing, importing, exporting, distributing, or possessing Category 2 narcotics. This carries a penalty of up to 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of between 200,000 and 1.5 million baht.

* Section 123: Conspiring with two or more persons to commit a serious drug-related offence. This carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 baht.

Photo via Naewna

In addition to Pistolesi, police arrested two foreign tourists who purchased drugs from him: a 37 year old Frenchman named Roman Malik Bertagnol and a 39 year old Russian man named Anton Zaoserov.

 

According to Channel 7, Zaoserov owned a cleaning service company catering primarily to foreign owners of luxury villas on the island. A Thai woman, identified only as Meena, was found to act as a nominee to facilitate the illegal registration of Zaoserov’s company.

Further investigations revealed that the cleaning service was a front for Zaoserov’s drug dealing operations. Koh Pha Ngan Police Station officers are now pursuing further inquiries into Zaoserov’s illegal activities.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-12-20

 

 

 

 

[ryandb]

If you are going to deal in drugs, just have the common sense to do it in your own country

[Cabradelmar]

Would love to know what visa these guys are on (or not on) when they get caught. Probably all Elite Visas 😂 

[ronster]

Plenty of money laundering going on around the Islands.

Just need look at the amount of villas springing up everywhere and massage shops that look like they cost more than a decent house.

[Taboo2]

1 minute ago, ronster said:

Plenty of money laundering going on around the Islands.

Just need look at the amount of villas springing up everywhere and massage shops that look like they cost more than a decent house.

55555555555555555555.  True. So many here in Patts...everyday another one goes up.

[spidermike007]

I'm not usually a big supporter of the war on drugs but these guys sound like they were predatory vampires, so I say lock them up for a decade or two. 

[Hakuna Matata]

 

[goldenbrwn1]

No Brits???? 

[BarBoy]

...I've heard Bali is a great place to do this sort of thing.

 

Oh, hang on a minute...

[Hakuna Matata]

 

[Hakuna Matata]

3 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

No Brits???? 

 

Yes, very strange indeed!

[TheFishman1]

So they caught the Peruvian guy he was on a red notice how come the Red Bull kid is still walking around for red notice his butt and getting him back here before the statue of limitations runs up L O LTIT

[XB12X]

I hope they give him fifty years.

[frank83628]

23 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

Yes, very strange indeed!

The guy that got caught  back in March in samui was British 

[CFCol]

19 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

So they caught the Peruvian guy he was on a red notice how come the Red Bull kid is still walking around for red notice his butt and getting him back here before the statue of limitations runs up L O LTIT

Didn't it say he was Mongolian?

[Captain Flack]

Some off topic trolling posts have been removed.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The operation, which had been running for nearly two years, involved over 71 million baht in financial transactions.

Speed is of the essence to nip these people in the bud

[goldenbrwn1]

1 hour ago, frank83628 said:

The guy that got caught  back in March in samui was British 

Thank the Lord for that ! We are still firmly in the game 👍 

[PETERTHEEATER]

3 hours ago, BarBoy said:

...I've heard Bali is a great place to do this sort of thing.

 

Oh, hang on a minute...

Surely you mean  " .......shoot on a minute"?

[crazykopite]

Do the crime do the time Samui prison welcomes you last time I heard it was 50 to a cell and keep your bum up against the wall unless you can afford some baht to keep your you from harms way !

[Kinok Farang]

4 hours ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

No Brits???? 

Brit customers .

[Taboo2]

What kind of Christmas food do they serve in the BKK Hilton?  Or in the Island prisons?  Asking for a friend.

[frank83628]

2 hours ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

Thank the Lord for that ! We are still firmly in the game 👍 

Well, he's not for another 5yrs  but there are plenty of others to take his place.

[Tropicalevo]

5 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

 

The lawyers love it when the 'powers that be' say that we are going to clamp down on Thai nominees.

People go rushing to the lawyers' offices and the lawyers send out big bills.

It has happened every 6-8 years here on Samui.