Former top police officer's alleged drug accomplice extradited from Thailand

A man who allegedly corrupted former top crime fighter Mark Standen, plotting with him to import enough precursor drugs to make $120 million of the drug ice, has finally been extradited to Australia to face trial.

Fairfax can reveal that British national James Henry Kinch was flown to Sydney two weeks ago, after more than four years in a Thai jail.

Now 54, Kinch had been in Thailand's Klong Prem prison since his arrest in June 2008. He was arrested as Dutch and Australian authorities also swooped on their targets as part of investigations into an international drug-smuggling cartel.

Standen and a third co-accused, Bakhos "Bill" Jalalaty, have been convicted over their part in the conspiracy.

Kinch has been charged with 20 offences, including that he conspired to pervert the course of justice, conspired to export a commercial quantity of drugs, that he engaged in the supply of a commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, and that he knowingly possessed money or other property that were the proceeds of crime.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.a...1108-28zr5.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2012-11-08

Shoulda left him in the Bangkok Hilton...