Coutelas, 57, was arrested by military police at a guesthouse in Sihanoukville and yesterday (July 25) appeared at Preah Sihanouk provincial court under the charges of unlawful keeping, transporting or trafficking of narcotics alongside three other suspects with drug offences, reports News.com,au. (See story here.)
Coutelas is currently in Preah Sihanouk provincial prison and will face court at a later date, said the report.
The Australian made headlines in 2014 as the first foreigner arrested under martial law when he was arrested at a guesthouse on Nanai Rd in Patong on May 27 that year.
He was found in possession of 530mg of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice), two pipes for smoking the drug, a 9mm Glock pistol and 10 bullets. (See story here.)
Police also found in his room two BB replica guns, a collection of gun magazines and hundreds of knives – Coutelas told police he was selling knives over the Internet.
He was charged with unlicensed possession of a handgun and ammunition, and with possession of a Category 1 drug.
Yet Coutelas was arrested again while out on bail on those charges just weeks later, when police found him at the same guesthouse in possession of 2.94g of ya ice on June 11. (See story here.)
He was subsequently sentenced to two years in jail, served at Phuket Provincial Prison.
Coutelas, originally from Sydney, later posted online after his release that he had been banned from Thailand for “110 years”.
Earlier this year, he also posted online that he had begun a new business, Back Pain Solutions Sihanoukville, following on from his experience as a chiropractor in Australia, reported news.com.au
He also described himself as “Living a simple happy life in the present moment without causing anyone or anything any pain”, the report said.
In response to Coutelas’s latest predicament, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it “stands ready to offer consular assistance, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, to Australians who are arrested or detained overseas”, the report added.