A man from Britain has been taken into custody regarding the suspected planned killing of an Iraqi cartel member on the Thai island of Phuket. The individual, identified as Amir, aged 33, allegedly provided weapons to Colombian national Fernando Estaid Guevara Sanchez, 39, for the purpose of targeting Ameer Mundher Mahmood, 24, a Swedish national, in a public setting on February 7. Fernando was apprehended on charges related to premeditated murder, illegal firearm possession, and carrying a firearm in public without authorization.
Law enforcement authorities later pinpointed the British man as the alleged firearms supplier for the criminal act while Ameer was attending to his motorcycle outside a hotel. The police traced the suspect to an upscale apartment in the well-known coastal area of Pattaya.
He was apprehended under a warrant for aiding premeditated murder, possessing firearms in public without permission, and carrying them. In a video, Amir confirms his identity before a knife and two cell phones are discovered near his sleeping area.
“I do not own a gun, I am confused, I have no knowledge about guns, I am innocent, there is nothing illegal here, I assure you,” he tells the police. As officers find a razor, he explains, “It’s for shaving.”
Police chief Natthasak Chaowanasai, in charge of the country’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), described Amir as uncooperative and detained him. The official stated, “The motive behind the murder originated from a disagreement within an international cartel. The shooting incident caused fear in a public location frequently visited by tourists.”
“After the arrest of the gunman, further inquiries indicated that this was not a personal dispute but a planned assassination, a contract killing, arising from a severe conflict within a major foreign drug cartel. The British suspect, Amir, was identified as a pivotal figure coordinating and supplying firearms to the Colombian shooter for the execution.”
Authorities revealed that Amir had spent several months discreetly residing 600 miles north in Pattaya. During a raid on his rented residence, law enforcement seized various items believed to be linked to the case.
Lieutenant General Chaowanasai added, “During initial interrogation, Amir refuted all allegations, denying any involvement in the homicide. He was subsequently moved to the Patong district station for legal procedures and further investigation into other members of the international network.”
Previously released CCTV footage displayed the suspected Colombian perpetrator, Fernando, dressed in black, approaching the victim and firing multiple shots. Ameer was rushed to Patong Hospital but succumbed to severe injuries, including a gunshot wound through his body. Police found bloodstains and spent bullet casings at the scene.
Upon reviewing security camera recordings, which allegedly captured the suspect returning swiftly to his lodging near Phuket International Airport, officers raided the hotel and arrested Fernando on charges related to premeditated murder and illegal firearm possession.
Police Major General Sinlert Sukhum from the Phuket police department mentioned that the alleged perpetrator, Fernando, arrived on the island on January 7 and was scheduled to depart on Qatar Airways flight QR843 on February 8, the day following the suspected contract killing.
“We suspect that the perpetrator was hired from overseas to carry out the assassination of this Iraqi man while he was in Phuket.”
