An international drug trafficker wanted in the United Kingdom was arrested by police in Bangkok, Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) commissioner Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob Puridej said on Saturday.
The arrest took place at noon on Friday on Sukhaphiban 5 Road when a joint force of CIB and Crime Suppression Division (CSD) agents swooped in to nab British national Richard Mark Wakeling, 54, police said.
The man had changed his name to Aaron Peter Lumsden, police said, citing his new passport.
Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob said police had an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on Jan 31.
The man, who hails from Brentwood in Essex, is wanted in the United Kingdom for smuggling narcotics into the European country, police said.
Based on information from the UK National Crime Agency, Wakeling attempted to transport £8 million (325 million baht) worth of liquid amphetamine into the UK in April 2016.
He then fled the country in 2018 prior to a trial in which he was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison for the offence.
Further investigation shows his crime ring was a major player in the illicit drug trade in Europe, police said.
In collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, the NCA provided information on Wakeling to the CIB, which was able to confirm that he had indeed fled to Thailand and was for a time residing in the beach town of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan.
After tracking him, authorities were able to intercept him while he was travelling to meet a friend in the Ekamai area of Bangkok, police said.
Wakeling has consented to be extradited to the UK to face his punishment, said Pol Lt Gen Jiraphob.
