Arrested American part of 'major trafficking ring in Southeast Asia'

[hawker9000]

"....part of a joint operation with Nigeria and Kenya"

would love to know their involvement

...International mafia network... ??????

The only credible enforcement agency mentioned in this report, again the DEA.

Oh yes these guys don't deal in window dressing.

Nice work fellas!

DEA a credible enforcement agency? Fast and Furious seems to come to mind.

Well it probably shouldn't. That was ATF (and really more of a strictly politically driven Eric Holder & Co. production at that; ATF field agents probably found the whole episode humiliating).

[Lite Beer]

Real-life Rambo, mercenary Joseph Manuel Hunter, arrested over assassination plot, drug smuggling
By North America correspondent Michael Vincent

A former soldier nicknamed Rambo has been arrested after leading a team of highly trained mercenaries across exotic locations in a plot to kill a US drug enforcement agent.

A legal document lodged by the US attorney's office in New York alleges Joseph Manuel Hunter, also known as Frank Robinson, Jim Riker and Rambo, plotted to carry out the contract killing for $US850,000, and also attempted to import cocaine into the US.

His fellow accused are nicknamed Tay, Nico, Paul and Gerald, the Grand Jury indictment reads.

Two of the team were arrested on Wednesday entering Liberia to allegedly carry out the contract hit, which was given to them by undercover sources for the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Simultaneously, Hunter was also taken into custody at the Phuket Country Club by heavily armed Thai police and is expected to arrive in the United States tonight (AEST).

The US attorney's office alleges he planned the hit and led the team of mercenaries.

Hunter made requests to the undercover sources for silenced weapons, a scoped rifle and the team was also provided with highly specialised latex masks to hide their identities.

Read More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-28/alleged-mercenary-leader-rambo-joseph-hunter-arrested/4986542

--ABC.NET.AU 2013-09-28

[WitawatWatawit]

Using your Thai Visa app does not give me the luxury of editing.

It was the best I could do so can some one on a laptop go to the Australian ABC news and post it correctly.

These guys were bad

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Real-life Rambo, mercenary Joseph Manuel Hunter, arrested over assassination plot, drug smuggling

AM

By North America correspondent Michael Vincent

Updated 4 hours 43 minutes ago

Photo: Joseph Hunter, AKA 'Rambo', is led into the Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on Friday. (Reuters: Chaiwat Subprasom)

Map: United States

A former soldier nicknamed Rambo has been arrested after leading a team of highly trained mercenaries across exotic locations in a plot to kill a US drug enforcement agent.

A legal document lodged by the US attorney's office in New York alleges Joseph Manuel Hunter, also known as Frank Robinson, Jim Riker and Rambo, plotted to carry out the contract killing for $US850,000, and also attempted to import cocaine into the US.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-28/alleged-mercenary-leader-rambo-joseph-hunter-arrested/4986542

(Hope this is acceptable.)

A good read.

[animatic]

The DEA under covers provided them all this stuff to make the hit, but no hit was done???

So arrested for what? Conversation, excepting masks? Allegedly accepting a contract on a fake hit?

I doubt these are nice boys, but this smells a bit.

[Redhawk]

Still wearing the same shirt of the day of his arrest, so far on humanity of agencies, govs and whatsoever called administrations!

[Tywais]

The DEA under covers provided them all this stuff to make the hit, but no hit was done???

So arrested for what? Conversation, excepting masks? Allegedly accepting a contract on a fake hit?

I doubt these are nice boys, but this smells a bit.

It's called conspiracy to commit if you are not up on the legal aspects. Or try receipt of illegal weapons and I'm sure a bunch of other pieces to fit the puzzle. Or is that a rhetorical devil's advocate post?

[hawker9000]

Still wearing the same shirt of the day of his arrest, so far on humanity of agencies, govs and whatsoever called administrations!

Huh?? Somebody please translate.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here you go....

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/army-vet-turned-alleged-hitman-rambo-charged-in-plot-to-kill-dea-agent/

Says they were plotting to kill a DEA agent...

Quotes:

“Their intent was to commit the most serious and ruthless crime that can be directed against any law enforcement officer,” said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart."

“The bone-chilling allegations in today’s indictment read like they were ripped from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel,” said US Attorney Preet Bharara. “The charges tell a tale of an international band of mercenary marksmen who enlisted their elite military training to serve as hired guns for evil ends.”

Thanks for posting that....

But as best as I can tell from reading the ABC new article, it looks like the murder for hire plot was entirely arranged by undercover DEA folks in a "ruse" to arrest these guys...

There's almost no correlation between the original Thai news media reports and this one from ABC in the U.S. Other than the names of the guys, you'd think they were two entirely different cases.

The alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy was a ruse, arranged by undercover DEA agents to stop men described as “hardened global criminals.”

No mention in the ABC article at all about motorcycle gang involvement. No mention about Kenya or the other African country. etc etc... And no mention of these guys as being active in drug dealing in various ASEAN countries.

Also no mention in the ABC report of the "ThaiRath newspaper reported that Hunter was accused of killing a judge in the Philippines."

And to top it off, the ABC report says Rambo was a former U.S. Army Sgt. 1st class, whereas if I recall correctly, the Thai media reports talked about the guy being a former U.S. Navy/special forces type guy.

Edited September 28, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[cpofc]

E3? now that is a stella Naval Career!

as I always said, not everyone who pulled on a 'Blue Suit' was a 'Good Hand'.

[attento]

So no Thai person involved! can anybody believe these people?

Was there any need to involve Thai people? Why draw attention from Thai Authorities by associating with local criminals. Fewer people involved, the better, and certainly not the sort of Thai people who would be interested in this business. Different language. Different criminal culture. How would these guys know which Thai could be trusted ?

Edited September 28, 2013 by attento

[attento]

Here you go....

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/09/army-vet-turned-alleged-hitman-rambo-charged-in-plot-to-kill-dea-agent/

Says they were plotting to kill a DEA agent...

Quotes:

“Their intent was to commit the most serious and ruthless crime that can be directed against any law enforcement officer,” said DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart."

“The bone-chilling allegations in today’s indictment read like they were ripped from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel,” said US Attorney Preet Bharara. “The charges tell a tale of an international band of mercenary marksmen who enlisted their elite military training to serve as hired guns for evil ends.”

Thanks for posting that....

But as best as I can tell from reading the ABC new article, it looks like the murder for hire plot was entirely arranged by undercover DEA folks in a "ruse" to arrest these guys...

There's almost no correlation between the original Thai news media reports and this one from ABC in the U.S. Other than the names of the guys, you'd think they were two entirely different cases.

The alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy was a ruse, arranged by undercover DEA agents to stop men described as “hardened global criminals.”

No mention in the ABC article at all about motorcycle gang involvement. No mention about Kenya or the other African country. etc etc... And no mention of these guys as being active in drug dealing in various ASEAN countries.

Also no mention in the ABC report of the "ThaiRath newspaper reported that Hunter was accused of killing a judge in the Philippines."

And to top it off, the ABC report says Rambo was a former U.S. Army Sgt. 1st class, whereas if I recall correctly, the Thai media reports talked about the guy being a former U.S. Navy/special forces type guy.

Which media report includes All the facts and / or never "places emphasis" on certain aspects while "playing down" others. These are only News media, not official statements. Reporters report the facts, but it is Editors who present the finished article. And Editors edit (i.e. mess around with the report to make it appear attractive). Sure, we like to believe them, but we should not be misled into thinking their published report is the whole story. Any news media in any country.

[harryfrompattaya]

The DEA under covers provided them all this stuff to make the hit, but no hit was done???

So arrested for what? Conversation, excepting masks? Allegedly accepting a contract on a fake hit?

I doubt these are nice boys, but this smells a bit.

I agree they were fake hit man trying to steal the down payment just take never killed anyone

[LivinginKata]

Off topic post and the reply removed

[cloghead]

ThaiRath newspaper, British tabloid newspaper The Mirror and thephuketnews...yeah, right

[KuhnPaen]

So...http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/27/20721219-team-of-contract-killers-led-by-ex-soldier-rambo-busted-prosecutors-say

Are they traffickers or contract killers?

[KuhnPaen]

Gotta kinda suck getting caught in your shorts and Homer Simpson t-shirt. Not super badazz. Or is it?

[IrishIvan]

Maybe he was a steward in the US Navy. Everone just assumes that he is like Steven Seagal because he has military training

[Maggusoil]

Local police units and officials were not made aware of the operation.

Trust issues?

Its called "needs to know". You don't tell people who don't need to know because the more people that know, the more

risk there is of a leak.

Its not peculiar to Thailand and not particular to the police. Many businesses that want to maintain their competitive edge,

and need to keep their business secret, for example prior to product launches, and during research and development,

run needs to know programs.

Not unusual.

[vanillalatte]

I am afraid,that ThaiVisa was not very correct about Joseph Hunter in this thread and another one in PhuketNews.

Read report in New York Times 27/09 with the tittle:

"Ex-Soldier Became Contract Killer,Authorities Say"

US Army breed very serious people...

[vanillalatte]

Maybe he was a steward in the US Navy. Everone just assumes that he is like Steven Seagal because he has military training

From New York Times:

"His nickname was Rambo.He was a seargeant in the Army,and he trained soldiers to be snipers"

What will you say now IrishIvan?

[IrishIvan]

Maybe he was a steward in the US Navy. Everone just assumes that he is like Steven Seagal because he has military training

From New York Times:

"His nickname was Rambo.He was a seargeant in the Army,and he trained soldiers to be snipers"

What will you say now IrishIvan?

Jesus, he sounds pretty damned dangerous. Im glad I never bumped into him

[Lite Beer]

Phuket's 'Mister Big' update: former military snipers turn to mercenary killing


Photo: Immigration Police

PHUKET: The US 'Mister Big' arrested in Phuket on Thursday and two other ex-soldiers from the US and Germany were charged Saturday (Thailand time) with plotting to kill a US drug enforcement agent and an informant.

The man arrested in Phuket, Joseph Hunter, went by the nickname "Rambo" and had trained snipers for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars before leaving the army and turning rogue, prosecutors allege.

A law enforcement sting in Bangkok and Liberia interrupted their plans to use five ex-military snipers to protect illegal drug shipments, authorities said.

The charges were announced by prosecutors in Manhattan, where an indictment unsealed in federal court portrayed a trio of ex-soldiers eager to kill for money.

"That's fun, actually for me that's fun. I love this work," one was quoted as saying in court papers.

The documents described numerous conversations at meetings outside the United States that were recorded by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents building their case with help from confidential sources posing as drug traffickers.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy counts and were held for appearances in US District Court, though it was not immediately clear who would represent them.

"The bone-chilling allegations in today's indictment read like they were ripped from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel," US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. "The charges tell a tale of an international band of mercenary marksmen who enlisted their elite military training to serve as hired guns for evil ends."

The indictment described Hunter as a contract killer and leader of the group of ex-snipers.

"Three of the defendants were ready, willing and eager to take cold hard cash to commit the cold-blooded murders of a DEA agent and an informant," Bharara said.

Hunter recruited several ex-soldiers in late 2012 and early this year to be a security team for drug traffickers, said the indictment. According to the court papers, the DEA's sources promised Hunter at a March meeting in "an Asian country" (known to be Thailand) that his security team would be protecting thousands of kilos of marijuana and would be seeing "tons of cocaine and millions of dollars."

Audio and video recordings of the meeting show Hunter discussing "bonus jobs" of contract killings, saying the men he had recruited want to do as much "bonus" work as possible, the indictment said.

According to the indictment, Hunter served in the US Army from 1983 to 2004 before becoming a contract killer who successfully arranged several slayings. At one meeting, Hunter was captured on tape describing how he had arranged the killings of real estate agents.

The indictment said a DEA source posing as a drug trafficker in May proposed killing a DEA agent and a boat captain providing information to US law enforcement authorities, saying it was necessary because there was a "leak" within the narcotics trafficking organization.

In an email exchange, Hunter responded: "My guys will handle it. ... Are you talking about both the captain and agent or just the captain?" according to the indictment.

Also charged in the assassination plot were Timothy Vamvakias and Dennis Gogel, a German citizen.

The indictment said Vamvakias served in the US Army from 1991 to 1993 and from 1999 to 2004. He was a sergeant, serving stints in South Korea and later as a military police officer in Puerto Rico.

Gogel was in the German armed forces from 2007 to 2010, attaining the rank of corporal and receiving commendations for his sniper skills, the court papers said. He was deployed for a time in Kosovo.

Two other suspects, Polish citizen Slawomir Soborski, 40, and German citizen Michael Filter, 29, were arrested Wednesday in Estonia where they remain pending extradition to the United States. Soborski was a member of an elite counter-terrorism unit while serving in the Polish armed forces from 1998 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2011. He later worked as a security contractor in Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti and elsewhere, court papers said. Michael Filter served in the German armed forces from 2006 to 2009.

To carry out the assassination plot, Vamvakias and Gogel offered ideas and plans, including the need for machine guns, cyanide, a grenade, masks and appropriate weapons, the indictment said.

The court papers said Gogel provided the DEA source with two sophisticated latex facemasks that could make the wearer appear to be of another race. The masks were among items Gogel and Vamvakias brought along when they arrived in an African country on Wednesday planning to carry out the murder-for-hire plot, the indictment said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phukets-mister-big-update-former-military-snipers-turn-to-mercenary-killing-42143.php

-- Phuket News 2013-09-29

[vanillalatte]

Maybe he was a steward in the US Navy. Everone just assumes that he is like Steven Seagal because he has military training

From New York Times:

"His nickname was Rambo.He was a seargeant in the Army,and he trained soldiers to be snipers"

What will you say now IrishIvan?

Jesus, he sounds pretty damned dangerous. Im glad I never bumped into him

In personal contact he is very nice man.May be he trust people to much?

[IrishIvan]

Maybe he was a steward in the US Navy. Everone just assumes that he is like Steven Seagal because he has military training

From New York Times:

"His nickname was Rambo.He was a seargeant in the Army,and he trained soldiers to be snipers"

What will you say now IrishIvan?

Jesus, he sounds pretty damned dangerous. Im glad I never bumped into him

In personal contact he is very nice man.May be he trust people to much?

Im sure he is very nice in person. But you wouldnt want to spill your beer on him or have something you say taken the wrong way.

I am amazed by this story

[clockman]

But do you ever wonder why, so many dangerous people end up in Thailand?

[LivinginKata]

The last 3 off topic posts removed.

[hawker9000]

THIS is what users' drug dollars help pay for! Predators, slime, scum - when a user slips that wad of money to a dealer somewhere, he HELPS THIS HAPPEN. Whine and sulk about legalization all you want. If you buy drugs you're part of this, and as far as I'm concerned deserve a commensurate punishment when caught.

[NamKangMan]

THIS is what users' drug dollars help pay for! Predators, slime, scum - when a user slips that wad of money to a dealer somewhere, he HELPS THIS HAPPEN. Whine and sulk about legalization all you want. If you buy drugs you're part of this, and as far as I'm concerned deserve a commensurate punishment when caught.

You do know that cigarettes and alcohol kills more people, globally, than all of the illicit drugs, combined, don't you?

That means that Governments, all around the world, are the biggest drug dealers on the planet, and the drugs they allow to be sold, with taxation, kills people, legally.

[hawker9000]

THIS is what users' drug dollars help pay for! Predators, slime, scum - when a user slips that wad of money to a dealer somewhere, he HELPS THIS HAPPEN. Whine and sulk about legalization all you want. If you buy drugs you're part of this, and as far as I'm concerned deserve a commensurate punishment when caught.

You do know that cigarettes and alcohol kills more people, globally, than all of the illicit drugs, combined, don't you?

That means that Governments, all around the world, are the biggest drug dealers on the planet, and the drugs they allow to be sold, with taxation, kills people, legally.

Oh please, not that lame whining about cigs & alcohol again. Hunter & Co. weren't part of an international budweiser smuggling ring, and weren't planning to assassinate the local marlboro dealer. LOL. You guys really need some new material for your standup act.

[paz]

Oh please, not that lame whining about cigs & alcohol again. Hunter & Co. weren't part of an international budweiser smuggling ring, and weren't planning to assassinate the local marlboro dealer. LOL. You guys really need some new material for your standup act.

Who did they planned to assasinate then ? I've read the USA news on the subject and it seems to me that the operation was prematurely executed. Or show me the dead bodies, the tons of drugs, the millions of dollars.