Alleged drug trafficker Robert Pollybank Gee arrested in Phuket, Thailand after five years on run
A FUGITIVE who fled drug trafficking charges in South Australia five years ago has been arrested in Thailand.
A FUGITIVE who fled drug trafficking charges in South Australia five years ago has been arrested in Thailand.
Robert Pollybank Gee has been the subject of an arrest warrant since July 2011, when authorities realised he had managed to leave the country while awaiting trial on serious drug charges.
Gee, 57, was allegedly involved in a cocaine and amphetamines racket that was brought down when police seized $1.2m worth of drugs and $264,000 in cash in 2006.
Gee’s life on the run came to an abrupt halt on Tuesday night, when he was arrested by Thai police at a bar on the Paton party strip of Bangla Rd.
Thai police claimed Gee was in possession of a fake passport, which indicated he was a Canadian national named Roy Greyeyes, and that he refused to say where he had obtained it.
They allege Gee managed to enter Thailand some time in 2011 by dodging immigration checkpoints and had been in Phuket since 2013.
Gee was taken into custody and is likely to be the subject of an extradition order back to South Australia.
SA Police issued a statement confirming the arrest following a joint operation with Australian Federal Police and the Royal Thai Police.
A call to Crime Stoppers alerted investigators to the likelihood Gee was hiding out in Phuket, police said.
“The warrant for this man alleges that he was instrumental in the sale and supply of illicit drugs,” a police statement said.
Before fleeing the country, Gee had been granted previous bail variations to allow him to travel to Fiji, Indonesia and Thailand but had returned without incident each time.
The Advertiser understands Gee skipped bail after learning one of his co-accused in the drug racket had provided a police statement outlining his alleged role.
Gee faces 11 charges in the District Court including taking part in the sale of cocaine and methamphetamines, offences allegedly uncovered by a Drug Investigation Branch operation.
In August 2012, District Court judge Peter Brebner refused an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions to hear the trial in Gee’s absence, ruling it would not be fair to the accused.
Gee’s alleged co-offenders received lengthy prison terms for their involvement, including Leslie Graham Richards, who has since undergone gender reassignment in prison.
An extradition hearing in Thailand is likely to take place in the coming days before Gee is likely to be flown back to Adelaide.