Reyes brothers protected by ‘Phuket drug lord’, say Philippine police

[Lite Beer]

Reyes brothers protected by ‘Phuket drug lord’, say Philippine police

The Phuket News

Joel and Mario Reyes, the murder fugitive Philippine politicians arrested in Phuket last Sunday, arrive in the Philippines. Photo: Philippine National Police

PHUKET: Joel and Mario Reyes, the murder fugitive Philippine politicians arrested in Phuket last Sunday (Sept 20), were under the protection of a Phuket drug lord, say the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The news was disclosed in a report by a PNP task force codenamed “Tugis”, which was specifically assembled to bring the Reyes brothers into custody, reports online Philippine newspaper Inquirer.net.

The task force had the brothers under surveillance since 2011, after the murder of Philippine broadcaster and environmental activist Gerry Ortega, said the report.

But since 2012, the fugitives were quietly living in Rawai. (See story here.)

Former Palawan governor Joel Reyes and ex-Coron mayor Mario Reyes were two of the most wanted fugitives in the Philippines, Each with a 2-million-peso (B1.5-million) reward on their heads.

But they managed to elude their arrest allegedly with the help of a “drug lord” based in Phuket, said the report.

“They were believed to be coddled by a certain Mr Lim, an alleged drug lord in Phuket, Thailand,” a portion of the report said. (See story here.)

Asked if the police had information on the alleged protectors of the Reyes brothers in Thailand, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head Police Director Victor Deona said: “We don’t have information about [their] coddlers.”

Mr Deona, along with Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento and PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez, presented the arrested brothers to the media at a press briefing at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame on Friday (Sept 25).

Taking Flight

Members of Task Force Tugis met with Thai police and immigration authorities on August 25, 2014 to discuss the “status of Ortega’s murder case and significant information about the Reyes brothers”, it was explained at the Camp Crame press conference.

Thai immigration records showed that the brothers entered Thailand via MH790 flight on April 16, 2012, almost a month after the arrest warrants for murder were issued against them for allegedly masterminding the killing of Ortega, reported the Inquirer.

However, their visas allowed them to stay in Thailand only until until May 15, 2012. After that point they were illegally staying in the country.

A planned mission to come to Phuket to check the exact location of a mobile phone number monitored at “4028, Karon, Mueang Phuket District” later proved fruitless, and after months of surveillance, the Thai Interpol devised “Operation Jeepney” as a manhunt for the fugitives.

The Karon Connection

The tracing of a mobile phone believed used by the Reyes brothers led Thai Interpol to Soi Hinkaaw, in Karon, where there is a small Filipino community, said the PNP.

“The phone number location was fixed in one place and the phone activities were unusual from time to time. It appears that the user opens the phone only to check incoming messages,” the PNP report said.

Authorities traced the number’s call records and found that the phone was used to call a number in Rawai, as well to several locales in the Philippines.

“After months of stake out and surveillance operations, the Royal Thai Interpol were able to pinpoint the house wherein one of the occupants who looked like Joel Reyes was sighted,” said the report.

Acting on the new lead, the local Thai police raided the house but they were able to escape the arrest.

“After the operatives’ continuous monitoring, the Interpol monitored a Thai number linked to the Reyeses and found that it was located in 3025 Rawai, Mueang. Thai authorities then informed the PNP on the development,” reported the Inquirer.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/reyes-brothers-protected-by-phuket-drug-lord-say-philippine-police-54262.php

-- Phuket News 2015-09-25

[zaphod reborn]

Meanwhile, the drug lord protector, Mr. Lin, and the police on his payroll will continue to operate as usual.

[noitom]

Thais should be busting and perp walking Mr. Lim and his Thai banking connections

[krystian]

Mr Lim is 3Million baht richer more or less

[elgordo38]

Quote Acting on the new lead, the local Thai police raided the house but they were able to escape the arrest. unquote Did they have advance notice hmm

[razer]

Having them as bounty hunters is not a bad idea ... better than sucking the small change from the public ... and they actually get criminals.

[whatproblem]

And the Phuket drug lords are protected by the ______

[mikebell]

How come Interpol now have a Royal Thai branch? How does this affect their coddlers?

[tajtom]

Bla Bla who cares

[lavender19]

How come Interpol now have a Royal Thai branch? How does this affect their coddlers?

Inspector Clouseau is in charge of them.

[FangFerang]

“We don’t have information about [their] coddlers.”

Of course not, this is Thailand

Edited September 26, 2015 by FangFerang

[cookee68]

Lovely place Phuket must be know

[stevenl]

Lovely place Phuket must be know

As a matter of fact it is.

[Time Traveller]

And the Phuket drug lords are protected by the ______

And the Phuket drug lords are protected by the ______

[bangon04]

"But they managed to elude their arrest allegedly with the help of a “drug lord” based in Phuket, said the report."

because the "drug lords" in Palawan had no spare safe houses left at the time.......

[cookee68]

Lovely place Phuket must be know

As a matter of fact it is.

But not as good as it was 20 years ago

[stevenl]

Lovely place Phuket must be know

As a matter of fact it is.

But not as good as it was 20 years ago

Is that so? And if you feel so, all places change, and if one has visitdd or lived in a place 20 years ago, it is very common to feel it used to be better. Edited September 29, 2015 by stevenl

[cookee68]

Lovely place Phuket must be know

As a matter of fact it is.

But not as good as it was 20 years ago

Is that so? And if you feel so, all places change, and if one has visitdd or lived in a place 20 years ago, it is very common to feel it used to be better.

I have been there several times since. and the people and place is not as respectful as it was, but hay. it is what it is, and you like what you like