PUBLISHED : 23 Jan 2024 at 14:48
A 36-year-old fugitive sentenced to prison in Belgium for attempted murder has been arrested in Phuket, where he worked as a DJ at a Patong nightspot.
The man, identified by police only as Achmai, 36, was taken into custody by Phuket immigration police at an apartment at Patong beach, Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nuchanart, deputy Immigration chief, said on Tuesday.
Achmal has dual Belgian-Moroccan nationality and was wanted in Belgium on charges of attempted murder, illegally carrying a firearm and illegal possession of ammunition and gun accessories. The charge related to a road-rage shooting in Belgium on Jan 19, 2014, he said.
The suspect was tracked down and arrested at the behest of the Office of the Attorney-General, whicih asked police to hand him over him to prosecutors at the International Affairs Division for extradiction to Belgium.
The Appeals Court in Brussels had sentenced the suspect to 10 years in prison, according to immigration police.
Achmal had used a Belgium passport to enter Thailand many times, police said. He also used a Moroccan passport to enter the country and kept changing his residence, staying in Bangkok, Si Sa Ket and Phuket.
He was finally tracked to an apartment in Patong beach, where he was working as a DJ at a bar in Patong.