British national jailed in Phuket for illegal firearm possession

A British national has been apprehended by Chalong Police in Phuket, Thailand, under an arrest warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court for illegal firearm possession and its public display without consent or legitimate reason.

The charge against Jamaal (surname not given) stems from an incident where he reportedly dropped a black Glock 19, described by the police as a blank gun, outside a Rawai nightlife establishment. The weapon was discovered by a security guard who then alerted the police.

However, by the time the police arrived, Jamaal and his companions had fled the scene, and subsequent investigations revealed that he had left the country the following day. Despite his exit, the Thai police carried on with their investigation, singling out Jamaal as their primary suspect and eventually procuring a warrant for his arrest.

In a recent development, it was confirmed that Jamaal had re-entered Thailand. Consequently, the police arrested him at his residence on November 13, as reported by Chalong Police. The specific location of his apprehension, the exact date and time of the initial incident, as well as the details of his departure and return to Thailand, were not disclosed, reported The Phuket News.

Aside from the case at hand, the police also shared with reporters that Jamaal had ties with local criminal networks and had a previous conviction record in England for drug trafficking and firearm offences, among other crimes.

Chalong Police expressed satisfaction with the arrest, citing it as being in line with the Phuket Provincial Police’s policy of prioritising tourist safety and cracking down on foreign nationals involved in criminal activities in Thailand.

Interestingly, the Phuket Info Centre revealed that a man named Jamal Woodcock from Luton, England was reportedly sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment by Luton Crown Court at the age of 18, for the offence of possessing with intent to supply cannabis, crack cocaine, and heroin. This sentencing was confirmed by Bedfordshire Police on September 9, 2015.

However, Chalong Police have not yet confirmed whether the Jamaal arrested in Phuket and the Jamal Woodcock sentenced in England in 2015 are indeed the same person.