Maldivian gangsters nabbed in Bangkok for overstaying visas

Thai police arrested three Maldivian nationals linked to a notorious gang, wanted for attempted murder, and overstaying their visas. The men were captured in Bangkok following a high-stakes operation on Ramkhamhaeng Road.

Police Major General Phantana Nuchanart, Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, led the press conference yesterday, September 13, revealing details of the bust.

The suspects, all members of the feared East Coast gang, had been hiding in a condominium in the Huamark, Bang Kapi district. Their criminal records include nearly fatally stabbing a fellow Maldivian.

Police had been monitoring the condominium after spotting suspicious activity. When police approached one of the suspects, 28 year old Mohammed, he was unable to present his passport, claiming it was in his room.

Officers followed him to his apartment, where they found 26 year old Asham and 19 year old Abdullah, both acting suspiciously.

A quick check revealed all three had overstayed their visas. Further investigation showed they were on Interpol’s Red Notice, wanted for a brutal attack in the Maldives. The gang members had assaulted a man, stabbing him multiple times in the head, face, and body, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.

In addition to their violent past, the trio are part of the East Coast Gang, a criminal network in the Maldives, notorious for its violent crimes and involvement in drug trafficking. Now, they face serious charges in Thailand as legal proceedings move forward, reported KhaoSod English.

In related news, residents on Koh Pha Ngan island in the southern province of Surat Thani alerted the Tourist Police to a Russian-Canadian man found overstaying his visa and begging for food from locals.

In other news, Thai police raided a luxury hotel in Koh Pha Ngan and arrested a 47 year old Nigerian national for possession of cocaine and overstaying his visa. The Nigerian claimed to use magic to evade detection during his drug transactions.