Drug lord suspect Jonathan Michael Moorby, 45, fled England before his trial, which found him guilty in absentia of trafficking cocaine and amphetamines, including cocaine by the kilogram to Thailand.
Officers from Koh Samui police station and the Narcotics Suppression Bureau on Monday afternoon (May 8) took a speedboat from Koh Samui to nearby Koh Mudsum and arrested drug lord suspect Jonathan Michael Moorby, 45, who had fled to the smaller island.
Representatives of Interpol also joined the operation.
According to Surat Thani police chief, Pol Maj Gen Apichart Boonsriroj, police seized a fake passport held by Moorby identifying him as a Belgian citizen under the name Goossens Wouters.
Thai police were earlier contacted by UK authorities and Interpol to help track down Moorby who is wanted under a UK warrant for drug trafficking, said Maj Gen Apichart.
Teesside Crown Court confirmed a warrant for his arrest was issued in December 2014
According to their investigation, police discovered Moorby was staying on Koh Samui.
They received a tip-off that his son would travel to Thailand to pay him a visit, so police followed the son on Koh Samui and he led them to Moorby’s rented room at a hotel.
However, the son did not find Moorby at the hotel and police discovered the fugitive Briton had rented a boat to go to nearby Koh Mudsum. Police later arrested Moorby at a resort on the island.
Maj Gen Apichart said the Belgian passport belonging to Mr Wouters had been reported lost in Thailand. Moorby allegedly told police that he bought the passport from an underground network in the South for B1 million.
Police initially charged Moorby with illegal entry and using a fake passport.
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