New Zealand gangster arrested in Thailand handed to FBI

UPDATE

The New Zealand gangster who was arrested in central Thailand has now been handed over to the FBI for prosecution, Thai police said yesterday. The gangster, 43 year old Shane Ngakuru, had been on the run from the FBI and New Zealand Police.

Ngakuru is a high-ranking member of the Comancheros Motorcycle Club gang. He was allegedly involved in serious drug offences, and has been the subject of an international red notice, according to New Zealand media. Other reports say he was involved in money laundering as well.

Central Investigation Bureau chief General Jirabhop Bhuridej said that a court in New Zealand had issued an arrest warrant for Ngakuru in June last year. This was on multiple charges including racketeering conspiracy, General Jirabhop said.

Ngakuru had overstayed his visa and gone into hiding in Phuket, the Bangkok Post reported. Police say he entered Thailand legally in 2020. In Phuket, Ngakuru had reportedly run a restaurant, tattoo parlour, and fitness centre with his Thai wife.

When Ngakuru learned that there was an arrest warrant for him, he fled Phuket to Samut Prakan. He was arrested outside a shopping mall in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district on Tuesday, according to General Jirabhop.

General Jirabhop said that Ngakuru admitted to overstaying his visa and confirmed he was the person wanted by New Zealand police. He has now been deported to the US. There, he will be prosecuted before being deported back to New Zealand to face more charges.

ORIGINAL STORY

A gangster from New Zealand was arrested in central Thailand early this morning, after being on the run from the FBI and New Zealand Police. A New Zealand Police inspector confirmed to the New Zealand Herald that the gangster was arrested in Samut Prakan province in a joint operation with New Zealand Police, the FBI, and the Thai police.

The busted gangster is 42 year old Shane Ellwood Ngakuru, a high-ranking member of the Comancheros Motorcycle Club gang. New Zealand Police inspector Paul Newman said Ngakuru was allegedly involved in serious drug offences and has been the subject of an international red notice. It has also been reported that Ngakuru was involved in money laundering.

Ngakuru allegedly dealt with encrypted phones which the FBI secretly controlled, and uses to catch hundreds of criminals across the globe. He has been named as a co-defendant of a number of people facing charges in New Zealand, Stuff NZ reported.

Ngakuri’s cousin is the Comanchero’s “international commander,” Duax Ngakuru. Duax was allegedly behind some of the world’s biggest drug deals. He is a New Zealand citizen but lived in Australia for many years. Duax is now thought to be in Turkey.

The Comancheros Motorcycle Club is an outlaw motorcycle gang founded in Australia. There have been several reports about their activities. Last month, Comancheros’ gang boss Pasilika Naufahu was denied parole for a second time in four months because he was considered an excessive risk if released.

Time will tell what happens to Ngakuru now that he’s been arrested in Thailand.