Fugitive boxer arrested in Thailand over alleged drug trafficking

Ben Stephen Ransome, who had been in hiding on the tropical island of Phuket, now faces a potential life sentence

A British fugitive has been caught living in luxury on the tropical island of Phuket, having fled to Thailand two years ago to escape drug charges.
Ben Stephen Ransome, described as a “British drug lord” by local media, was arrested by Thai authorities earlier this week at a restaurant in the tourist hotspot’s Rawai district.
The 28-year-old had been hiding out on the island for two years, where he competed in boxing matches under the alias “Billy Roberts” and lived in a luxury condominium.
Mr Ransome’s arrest on Monday came after the UK’s National Crime Agency tracked down his location and requested his extradition back to Britain, where he faces a life sentence for his alleged role in a drug trafficking gang.
Investigators in Thailand said the Briton was detained for “conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine and heroin), conspiracy to supply class B drugs (ketamine), and conspiracy to acquire or possess criminal property”.
“We handed the British man over to the international affairs department of the office of the attorney-general,” said Jirapop Phuridet, a police lieutenant general within the Central Investigation Bureau.
“He has denied the charges, but we are preparing to deport him back to the UK,” he added.
Authorities added that Mr Ransome had been taken to Bangkok for further legal proceedings. He will be kept in jail until a deportation flight is arranged.
He is not the only British national arrested on drug charges in the Southeast Asian country.
In May, tourist Jamie Louis Swain, 29, was charged with importing and possessing narcotics after an immigration office at Phuket airport found a bag of cocaine while checking his passport.
Charly Garcia, 48, was arrested in March by police in the northern city Chiang Mai and charged with possessing and selling narcotics including cocaine, ketamine and magic mushrooms to tourists.