British brothers arrested in Thailand for suspected drug trafficking

Armed police burst into the Mulhare brothers’ hotel room at beach resort

Joseph Mulhare (left) and younger brother Gregory (Royal Thai Police)

Two brothers wanted by police in the UK have been arrested in Thailand and held on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Joseph Mulhare, 43, and his younger brother Gregory, 38, were found at a resort hotel and detained by Thai immigration police following a request by the British authorities.

Originally from the Wirral in Merseyside, the pair are suspected of trafficking methamphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine.

Warrants for their arrest were originally issued by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).

The pair had fled from the UK to Thailand on 2 November and were hiding out at a hotel in the popular beach resort town of Pattaya, the Bangkok Post reported.

Armed police reportedly burst into the Mulhares’ room, handcuffed the men and took them to the Chon Buri province immigration office.

Joseph Mulhare (left) and younger brother Gregory (NWROCU) (North West Regional Organised Crime Unit)

The suspects had previously taken a taxi out to Suvarnabhumi airport before checking into the hotel in an apparent attempt to evade police.

Officials said their visas would be revoked pending their deportation to the UK to face drugs charges.

NWROCU had issued an urgent appeal for information about Joseph and Gregory Mulhare earlier this month as part of an ongoing investigation into the supply of class A drugs.

The northwest crime agency said “extensive efforts” had been made to track them down.

“We are providing assistance to two British men following their arrest and detention in Thailand,” said the Foreign Office.