As alleged ‘drug mule’ George Wilson today faces the prospect of the death penalty in a Thai courtroom, the Mirror takes a look at everything we know so far about the 23-year-old British tourist, and the serious allegations made against him
Today, British tourist George Wilson is appearing before a Thai courtroom, accused of being a drug mule in a case that has left those who know the “mild-mannered” young man completely stunned.
Wilson, of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, stands accused of attempting to smuggle a suitcase full of crystal meth out of Thailand, a crime that has very serious consequences in the Southeast Asian country.
According to travel guidance published on the British government website, possessing even small quantities of illegal substances can result in heavy fines or imprisonment, while possessing Class A drugs can even lead to the death penalty. Meanwhile, conditions in Thai prisons and other detention facilities are known to be brutal, with limited healthcare access. Tragically, detainees have previously died in custody.
The grim fate faced by 23-year-old Wilson, who denies any knowledge of the drugs found in his suitcase, is a world away from the comfortable life he’s used to here in the UK. Here, as Wilson’s story continues to unfold, the Mirror takes a look at everything we know so far.
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Did George Wilson have a privileged background?
Wilson was born into an extremely wealthy family, with one multimillionaire relative reportedly associated with festival headliners Iron Maiden, among other chart-topping acts.
Having enjoyed many advantages of a pampered upbringing, Wilson attended the exclusive Hurst Lodge School in Ascot, Surrey, which charges annual fees of £70,000. Fellow alumni include Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and the actress Juliet Stevenson.
It’s understood that the young man lives in a highly sought-after area, close to the River Thames, while his family has a number of properties and business interests.
George Wilson’s family friends’ shock
As reported by the Mail Online, those close to Wilson have expressed astonishment that the former public schoolboy has become entangled in such a serious situation. One family friend told the publication: “It’s astonishing that someone from such a well-heeled background could find himself caught up in this – no one could believe it when we saw the reports of George’s arrest.”
Meanwhile, a relative who learned of Wilson’s arrest while aboard a worldwide cruise revealed: “George is a very well-brought-up and mild-mannered young man. You would never expect him to be in a situation like this. As far as I know, he doesn’t even drink, let alone have any involvement in drugs.”
How was George Wilson caught?
In posts made on social media about Wilson’s arrest, Thai police explained that their “investigation team received a tip-off that a group of foreigners were planning a narcotics handover at the hotel”.
It was that officers swooped on the Wilson’s Bangkok hotel room and arrested him, having found 9.1kg of the class A drug in the suspect’s possession.
It’s been alleged that Wilson received the illicit stash of methamphetamine from a fellow Brit staying in a hotel in the city’s red light district on the evening of Monday, September 29.
The Foreign Office has since confirmed that it is “in contact with the Thai authorities following the arrest of a British man”.
Has George Wilson denied being a drug mule?
Footage of Wilson’s arrest shows him telling police he’d been in Thailand for “two weeks”. When asked what was inside his bag, the Brit replied: “I don’t know.” It was then that officers opened the case and, after looking under a pair of flip-flops and a white towel, they uncovered 10 green foil bags of Chinese tea concealing methamphetamine. Responding to this discovery, Wilson said: “I don’t know what it is.”
Officers can then be seen opening the packages, revealing the drugs on camera as evidence, before carrying out a quick chemical test to prove the substance was indeed methamphetamine.
Lieutenant Colonel Noppha Thongbo, from the Lumpini district station, issued the following statement yesterday: “He was arrested on September 29 at 6pm. He is currently in police custody and will be taken to the Bangkok South Criminal Court tomorrow for detention in prison.”
‘Snoopy’
Wilson allegedly informed police that he received a pink suitcase from a British drugs runner by the name of “Snoopy”. The suspect allegedly received 20,000 THB (£460) for his part in the activities. Thai police have claimed Wilson was due to carry narcotics through Suvarnabhumi International Airport and onwards to the destination country, where another member of the gang would meet with him.
Officers had been tracking the suspects for a number of days after gathering intelligence based on their movements. After checking the hotel CCTV, they were able to confirm that the packages had been delivered. It was then that they obtained an arrest warrant to search the hotel room from the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), and found the 9,152.3 grams of crystal methamphetamine, known locally as “Ice”.
Officers suspect the meth was produced at drug labs in conflict-ravaged Myanmar before being brought over to Thailand. Siranawitcha Intorn, Superintendent of the Crime Suppression Division, Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 5, stated that the suspect “has been charged with distributing Category 1 narcotics, specifically methamphetamine or ice, with intent to sell in violation of the law, which constitutes a commercial act that contributes to the spread of the drug among the public.”
He continued: “We believe he was part of a cross-border drug smuggling network, which is very serious. The amount of drugs seized was also very large. The highest levels of the Royal Thai Police have coordinated to make the arrest.”
Will George Wilson get the death penalty?
According to a report in the International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, known executions for drug-related offences account for more than 40 per cent of all global executions, with most of these executions taking place in Asia.
Brits travelling to Thailand are urged to be mindful of the country’s strict drug laws, where importing or exporting Category 1 narcotics such as heroin, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs carries a maximum punishment of the death penalty, as well as life imprisonment.
Although the death penalty is rarely handed out to Western tourists in these instances, this doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Perhaps most famously, Australian woman Nola Blake was sentenced to death back in 1987, after being found guilty of drug trafficking charges. Her sentence, which would have involved death by firing squad, was ultimately commuted to life imprisonment. She eventually returned home in 1998, having been given a royal pardon.
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