Heroin smuggler leaves Darwin prison after serving 25 years, to be deported

AFTER 25 years, one of Darwin’s longest serving prisoners will be set free.

Thai fishing boat, The Bahari 314 at the Larrakeyah Naval Base, was searched by police after they found $100 million worth of heroin floating in bags 10 metres from the boat in the Darwin Harbour in July 1994.

AFTER 25 years, one of Darwin’s longest serving prisoners, found guilty of trying to smuggle to Australia more than 100kg of heroin, will be set free.

Somphon Lee Vanit was one of three men sentenced in August 1995 for what was at the time the largest heroin seizure in Australia’s history.

The 1994 drug haul had an estimated street value of $300 million. Sanan Wangsaimas, the captain of the boat involved, was given 22 years behind bars and deported several years ago after being released.

Yong Lam Chai was also given a life sentence.

He was wrongly identified and charged as Ponchai Tansakun, but died at Royal Darwin Hospital on July 10, 2011.

HOLTZE WOMEN ATTEMPTING SUICIDE

It’s understood Lee Vanit, now in his mid-50s, will be let out of prison tomorrow (Friday) to be deported to Thailand in the coming days.

Police and the Corrections Department refused to say when the man would be flown out of the country due to privacy reasons.

On July 13, 1994 police and customs officers, made contact with the occupants of the Thai fishing vessel, Bahari 314.

It had been docked just off the coast of Bathurst Island and was escorted to a moor near Stokes Hill Wharf after the occupants of the boat called for help, claiming they had run out of fuel.

BECOME AN NT NEWS MEMBER AND GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS FOR $1 A WEEK

When police and customs officers returned to the boat they found a hessian bag floating nearby.

The bag contained 42kg of heroin. In response police launched Operation Calgary and searched the boat and the sea bed, uncovering another 79kg of heroin attached to an engine head.

It was revealed in court a boat from Darwin was supposed to meet Bahari 314 to collect the drugs but never arrived. It’s understood they became spooked after learning authorities were flying along the coastline searching for a boat carrying refugees.

All eight crewmen on board the Bahari 314 were taken into custody following the drug bust.

Five of the men, all Thai crewmen, were found not guilty of importing the heroin at trial.

They were deported back to Thailand via Brisbane.