Three Swedish men have been arrested in Thailand as part of a multinational operation targeting an international narcotics network with links to Sweden, the Nordic market and online drug sales, according to The Bangkok Post.
According to Thai police, the arrests were made during raids on nine locations in Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan under “Operation Pandora”. The suspects were identified as Robert Mikael Lind, 47, Daniel Lee, 39, and John Arya Ghavamzadeh, 33. Investigators allege they were tied to a transnational syndicate operating narcotics markets on the darknet.
The case adds to a wider international investigation that began after Swedish authorities seized two phones in a small Swedish town. Analysis of the phones exposed a broader criminal network involving drug trafficking, money laundering and a web of companies stretching across several countries.
Eurojust said members of the network in Thailand were suspected of running a large-scale online drug distribution business targeting customers in the Nordics. In Sweden, suspects allegedly handled local drug distribution and laundering of criminal profits, while other parts of the network were linked to Spain, Thailand, Germany and Australia.
On 4 March, coordinated action was carried out in Sweden, Spain and Thailand. Around 20 searches were conducted, and Swedish authorities said 13 Swedish individuals were arrested in the wider operation. Assets worth around three to four million euros were also seized.
Thai investigators said the three Swedes arrested in Thailand are believed to have used rented luxury pool villas as bases for remotely managing online drug distribution. Authorities in Sweden said the case shows how organised crime now works through flexible international networks that use legal business structures to hide profits and move money.
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