Russian dead discovered in Phuket drugs den

Russian dead discovered in Phuket drugs den

In Chalong, Phuket's southern region, a cannabis farm has revealed the body of a Russian man. Police suspected foul play since the man had his neck cut and there appeared to have been "signs of a struggle," according to media sources.

The Phuket Express reports that a Thai man, named only as 34 year old Mr Burin, told Chalong Police that he had rented a car to the victim. He was subsequently contacted by the man’s girlfriend, an unnamed Russian woman, who said she hadn’t seen her partner for 2 days and asked for Mr Burin’s help in tracking the car by GPS.

Mr Burin and the Russian woman successfully tracked the car to a hilltop property in Soi Sai Nam Yen in Chalong. According to the report, the car key was found on the ground near the vehicle. As the house was locked, Mr Burin called the police for help.

On entering the property, officers discovered what appeared to be a cannabis farm where neighbours told police they “saw people coming and going buying cannabis”.

The body of the missing Russian man, named only as 42 year old “Artur”, was found on the floor in a pool of blood.

He had sustained several wounds to his neck and body. There were also signs of a struggle in the room, with a number of cannabis plants damaged. Police estimated the man had been dead at least 12 hours before the discovery of his body.

According to his immigration record, the victim arrived in the kingdom on January 28 on a 90 day visa exemption. It’s understood the house where his body was found was rented by a Thai woman for her foreign boyfriend. The authorities have not disclosed his name or nationality.

Several neighbours, who asked to remain anonymous, say the house was frequently visited by foreigners who came to buy and smoke cannabis.

It’s understood police are hunting a suspect described only as a foreign national that is alleged to have flown out of the country yesterday.