Canadian nabbed for heroin dealing in Pai

[dageurreotype]

So what? The police sell it to them. Duh.

But they don't like competition?

No competition JAG, the police are the source, the 'caught' read 'deal gone awry', merely unwitting facilitator/middle man.

[justaphase]

It does look a bit suspect, ie paying 7500 baht for so much. A friend of mine told me in Laos, where it's everywhere, street dealers charge 2500 a gram.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

There goes his piece of the Pie...

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Sad to see anyone come here and try to be a drug dealer especially old men who should know better.

[dageurreotype]

Sad to see anyone come here and try to be a drug dealer especially old men who should know better.

I thought the piece was about drug dealing, not sex tourism

[Prbkk]

is stupidity a disease? i am sure he is feeling sick now......selling heroin ?no work permit i bet..

Point well made but isn't the real stupidity in governments everywhere trying to outlaw this and other drugs. Decriminalisation would solve many of the problems, tainted drugs, overdoses, property crime, organised gang involvement.

Better to let those who want or need this drug to have it, under strictly controlled conditions, and wipe out the illicit trade completely

Edited February 24, 2016 by Prbkk

[justaphase]

is stupidity a disease? i am sure he is feeling sick now......selling heroin ?no work permit i bet..

Point well made but isn't the real stupidity in governments everywhere trying to outlaw this and other drugs. Decriminalisation would solve many of the problems, tainted drugs, overdoses, property crime, organised gang involvement.

Better to let those who want or need this drug to have it, under strictly controlled conditions, and wipe out the illicit trade completely

Try putting that to the Shah army in Burma, who rely on the drug trade to pay for their economy.

[spidermike007]

Can you just begin to imagine the naivety that goes into a decision like this? First of all, does he have any experience as a drug dealer? Second, does he know the dealer well enough to trust him? The police insist they are going after the hill tribe dealer. Who wants to bet they know him, and work with him, in partnership? Sell to the dumb farang, call your friend the policeman, claim your bounty. It is done all the time here. Now, the cops will probably ask him if he has 2 million baht cash, he can get his hands on with 2 days. If not, you are going to trial.

Heroin is a serious drug. To fool around with it, on any level here is bordering on insane. I cannot say I condone any of it, but I feel bad for this guy, who has basically revoked the right to lead a good, healthy, productive life in the future. How is a guy like that going to do in prison, with hundreds of hardened convicts? What is going to happen to him when he is released? He will probably be sent back to Canada, where he might face additional prosecution, under Canadian law. His life is basically over.

I knew a guy who was busted for possessing a kilo of ganga on Samui. He was ratted out by a Thai woman, who was busted. She told them where he lived. They busted him, and gave him 2 days to come up with 1 million baht. They told him if he could, they would not press charges, and he could leave the country. He could not come up with the cash. They prosecuted him, and he got a 25 month sentence. He was released a few months early on a royal pardon. Happens all the time. Same with the full moon parties on Phangan. I know guys who were busted for having two joints. They were asked to pay 100,000 baht or they would be locked up. They paid, and they walked away, having learned a very expensive lesson. More than likely, they were ratted out too.

25 months for a Kilo of weed? Ridiculous!

Was he selling it? If so he'd of got more than that. If not, just a fine.

I was busted with 200grams of weed and the fine was 3000 baht.

It appears to be entirely discretionary, on the part of the prosecutor and the judge, from what I can see. This is a true story. I am not making it up. I visited him in prison a few times. This came from his lips. This was his reality. Samui seems to be far more corrupt than most courts, as is the case for nearly every aspect of society on Samui. So, they may have been upset and disappointed that it went that far. Who knows? 3,000 baht sounds about right to me. Yes, he was selling it. That is why she ratted him out. She was a customer of his. But still. Anyway, who would have a kilo for recreational purposes here in Thailand? Sounds like one would be asking for trouble.

They are still sentencing people to 2 years, or longer in prison, for possession of ganga in the US, in many states. In Texas in particular, some are getting 5-10 years for possession of 2 lbs. Sheer, and utter insanity. All supported very strongly by the Obama administration, his AG, and the justice department. Very misguided policy.

Edited February 24, 2016 by spidermike007

[Rob13]

Dumb thing to do, he probably knows that now.

[Nowisee]

The replies are all over the scale. It's hard not to say this guy is an idiot. Did no one ever see the movie Midnight Express???

Hard for people to get their heads around it, but let people grow, manufacture, buy and use what they want.

Most countries are hypocrites when it comes to this anyway. Most allow other more dangerous and destructive drugs to be used and even encourage it. Many police and political types are deeply involved in the "illegal" drug trade, making most of the money and actually creating the entire environment.

Hard to understand why the "authorities" claim to want to protect us from ourselves, yet allow and in some cases encourage us to destroy ourselves using even worse substances.

Drugs are the very least of our social, economic and environmental worries. We have made them the bad they are...

It will take time, but you will eventually see places decriminalize drugs and you will see drug related crimes go away.

You just have to change your ill taught thinking.

Most drug addicts do not start out as criminals any more than tobacco and alcohol users do.

[raphoedon]

There is no smoke without fire. The look of the guy in the photo is one of suffering personal remorse. He knew before he did it that what has been done cannot be undone. His future accommodation will allow lots of time for reflection.

As judge Judy says "beauty fades, Dumb is forever".

[UPDEHSOI]

Let him paddle heroin in Malaysia or Singapore... he'd be paying to ultimate penalty for

his greed and stupidity....

....which, in my humble opinion of course, would be a hulluva "cheaper" price than what he is going to pay now.

[farcanell]

His actions are the symtoms of disease, not crime.

Words words words.

I no longer go out and paint the town red.... But I do, on occasion, paint it Crimson.

The guy committed what amounts to a pretty serious crime in SE Asia, and will have a long time, in rather unsavory conditions, to think on the differences between symptoms and diseases, whilst he prays to his God for repatriation.

[UPDEHSOI]

Thats going to sting.

Of all the money making ideas in all the world thats gotta be the dumbest of the lot, by several country miles.

You can't make this stuff up, really!

Dumb is right....of all the countries to try and deal drugs! In Canada, the courts would have given him housing, more education/job opportunities and food......because 'it's not his fault'.

...not to mention free legal counseling and free hospitalization. Umm, the free hospitalization has become sort of a joke there as of late though, unless you're a foreigner, of course...in Canada I mean.

[farcanell]

The replies are all over the scale. It's hard not to say this guy is an idiot. Did no one ever see the movie Midnight Express???

Hard for people to get their heads around it, but let people grow, manufacture, buy and use what they want.

Most countries are hypocrites when it comes to this anyway. Most allow other more dangerous and destructive drugs to be used and even encourage it. Many police and political types are deeply involved in the "illegal" drug trade, making most of the money and actually creating the entire environment.

Hard to understand why the "authorities" claim to want to protect us from ourselves, yet allow and in some cases encourage us to destroy ourselves using even worse substances.

Drugs are the very least of our social, economic and environmental worries. We have made them the bad they are...

It will take time, but you will eventually see places decriminalize drugs and you will see drug related crimes go away.

You just have to change your ill taught thinking.

Most drug addicts do not start out as criminals any more than tobacco and alcohol users do.

Rather naive.... But by all means... Grow it and use it... Get all Sherlock holmsy, and offer a solution to some of the other ills suffered by our society

Verses of course, having it grown in a foreign country, were the "farmers" are routinely mistreated and killed, and the local population lives in fear, whilst it's abuse creates extreme distress to communities the world over

And a thought... I would prefer the misfortune of encountering a crazed nicotine addict, than a crazed heroine addict, should it come to it.

[UPDEHSOI]

They need to go all Apocalypse Now on the hill tribe. Napalm in the morning will sort out their drug business.

When I see how many likes you have for posts like this, it reminds me to take TVF with a pinch of salt.

...with a "yaffle" of salt I would venture to say. ( it's a Newfie expression. Can explain it if you want )

[fekman]

What tourists do heroin on vacation???? Not exactly a recreational drug. Most addicts would never take a holiday because they can't stay off it. He will get 45 years, then whisked into the night 4 years into his sentence, and deported, like every other doper here. The long dope sentences are a head phuck. Longest prison sentence ever served by a foreigner here is only 17 years.

[UPDEHSOI]

Looks like he has a crutch nearby (and a beat-up one at that). He could have been in chronic pain, or has some life-ending illness and wanted to go out in a fog. Doesn't look like a typical drug dealer.

He's in Pai, so the crutch could have that beaten up look from being used as a defense against Soi dogs. But if that IS the case, then it could very well have the same look all over Thailand...n'cest-pas?

[IamNoone88]

Old enough to know better.

[UPDEHSOI]

Canadians always think they are so pure......this will hurt their image forever!!!!! if not longer.

this guy wanted to escape the death cold, make quick money, live with bar girl and be thai rich!!!!!

last week he was living the life...

but once caught, they all wish they never did any of this!!!!! hahaa.....he

probably worked hard all his life, might have kids, been married, etc....and dreamed of this time of his life to enjoy!!!!

if he is a TV member and knew what we think of lowlifes like this.....i say 1,000 year jail term!!!! if not longer

Well, I'LL BE DARNED!! So Canadians think they're so pure!? I didn't know that! I mean, I'm kind, sweet, generous ( to a point ) and friendly, not to mention downright good looking, even handsome. Okay, so I'm a virgin. Well, I was...long time ago. But...SO PURE?? Naaah, never thought of myself that way. Also, I think it's going to take a bit more than some dumbass Canuck selling smack in the boonies of Northern Thailand to hurt or ruin Canada's image, which has already been ruined a lot ( IMHO of course )...can anyone say Trudeau?

[little mary sunshine]

Love so,e of these posts...."Now suffering personal

Remorse...".because he was caught!!?,!55555556

[Galactus]

over ten years here, how many foreigners got caught in Pai area buying drugs from hilltribe?

they never do anything to hilltribe and wait down and stop all tourists coming from hill tribe area.

never ever heard them searching or busting hilltribe people. there is an obvious reason for this...officials never focus on the main problem. maybe bc it is profitable for them.

If the poor guy is an opiate addict, in legal and medical literature, he is sick and not a criminal.

but what i think is; if they catch you with drugs in a foreign land, there is a big price to pay.

[sawadee1947]

No mercy! Let him get rotten in jail forever.

[sead]

"...he brought the heroin from somebody from a hill tribe for 7,500 baht."

That same bag has probably been used many times. The hill tribe person sells it, calls the narcs, guy gets busted, bag goes back to hill tribe person, and then the whole process starts over again.

One really has to be naive to buy drugs from a stranger. No matter what country you are in. Even if it's in you own homeland.

Naah. Not for 16g, neither the bust nor the money or the medal is worth the effort.

[Centrum]

I do not justify or support his choices in any way

only understand that, perhaps in a moment of despair

people do dumb things..............

You have to be pretty desperate or pretty darn stupid

to be a foreigner and sell heroin in Pai.

For all you know, he may have been doing this, somewhat successfully, for the last 16 years.

[retarius]

poor fellow

[bark]

Any idea how much profit he could have made on 16 grams minus cost of 7500 baht ?

Just wondering if it was worth it in his head. If he hadn't got caught.

Is it 100,000's baht ? 200,000 ++ ?

I know he is in jail for 10 years, so don't tell, what is his 10 years of life worth !

I am just wondering ?

[MrTee]

Someone posted on Facebook that Richard died yesterday in police custody...

I can't find anything online to support that..

[jerojero]

Despicable <deleted>. I'm ashamed to be a fellow citizen of this terrific Loser. Jail 20 years please? Don't want him back in Canada

[HooHaa]

If this guy had a "disease" called addiction, and needed a crutch to get around for some reason, he should have been in Canada where there is lots of help for him. He is unkempt, filthy, and in big trouble. Any trouble if any that he thinks he may have left in Canada is surely tiny compared to what he's facing.

I'm amazed what the detectives here can discern from a picture of a baseball hat.