Moment alleged Hells Angels bikie chief is arrested in a luxury condo in Thailand after ‘fleeing Australia on a private plane with a fake passport’
- Australian arrested in Thailand by immigration
- They allege he flew in by private jet with fake ID
- Allege he is a Hells Angel kingpin in drugs probe
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A suspected Australian bikie chief has been arrested at a luxury apartment after he flew into Thailand[3] on a private jet allegedly using a fake Italian passport.
A surprisingly clean-cut Rodrigo Elices, 31, also allegedly known as Elias, was arrested after he jetted into Bangkok with a false ID and a 30-day tourist visa on December 6, 2023.
Elices, who also has few tattoos, claimed to be an Italian called Gjini, Thai immigration allege, but a fingerprint check revealed he was allegedly an Australian bikie at the centre of a drug ring.
Immigration officials traced him to a ritzy apartment block in Bangkok’s hip downtown ThongLor area where he was then arrested.
Thai investigators said Australian police told them Elices was allegedly a key player in a Hells Angels drugs smuggling network and facing charges over importing 14kg of methamphetamine.
Elices was also being hunted by police after a home in Kogarah was torched in October 2022, badly burning a 51-year-old man and allegedly uncovering a drug ring.
Suspected Australian Hells Angels kingpin Rodrigo Elices (pictured centre) has been arrested at a luxury unit after he flew into Thailand on a private jet allegedly using a fake Italian passport
Rodrigo Elices (pictured centre) claimed to be an Italian called Gjini, say Thai immigration, but a fingerprint check revealed he was allegedly an Australian bikie at the centre of a drug ring
Detectives found 5.7kg of cocaine in the home, £15,000 in cash and drug manufacturing equipment. The injured man and two others were charged with drug offences, reported the Sydney Morning Herald[4].
But Elices allegedly fled the country before detectives could seize him.
Elices’ arrest was paraded in a press conference for Thai media by immigration officials who released shirtless pictures of the Australian being quizzed by officials.
He was shown handcuffed as investigators grilled him on his alleged links to drug syndicates and the alleged fake passport he used to attempt to flee to Thailand.
The clean-shaven alleged bikie, with short hair and large tattoos across his chest and stomach, was also photographed surrounded by immigration officials who arrested him.
An elaborate infographic also spelled out the immigration investigation which had allegedly unmasked the fake Italian as an Australian Hells Angel bikie.
‘Elices is still a major suspect in Australia who is the [alleged] leader of the Hells Angels gang that is [allegedly] a drug distribution network,’ said Police Major General Phanthana Nuchanart, Immigration Bureau Deputy Commander-in-Chief.
He is allegedly wanted on smuggling charges for drugs and firearms with an arrest warrant for 38 charges, including 36 weapons charges, one charge relating to the 14kg of meth and one of participating in a transnational criminal organisation.
‘He also has a criminal history of assaulting officials and robbery,’ the commander in chief alleged.
‘The investigative team investigated until they learnt Elices had [allegedly] fled to live in a luxury condo in the ThongLor area.
‘They brought in forces and went to [arrest] Elices and from the inspection of the room they [allegedly] found the Australian passport of Elices and the Italian passport of Gjini.’
Rodrigo Elices (pictured seated) was photographed surrounded by the immigration officials who arrested him, along with the two passports they allegedly found in his possession
An elaborate infogram also spelled out the immigration investigation which had allegedly unmasked the fake Italian as an Australian Hells Angel bikie
It’s understood the same man was pictured in both passports.
Major General Nuchanart added: ‘Australian police are co-ordinating with Thai Police so he was always [allegedly] trying to escape.’
Elices has been held in custody awaiting trial over the Thai immigration charges before deportation proceedings to fly him back to Australia.
He was most recently convicted of affray at Sydney Down Centre and sentenced to nine months of intensive correction in the community, which expired in August.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.
NSW Police said they had no details of the overseas arrest and Australian Federal Police referred all enquiries to DFAT.
Do you know more?
References
- ^ Traveller’s furious rant at holiday hotspot lies (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Kevin Airs For Daily Mail Australia (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Thailand (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald (www.smh.com.au)
- ^ Thailand (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Interpol (www.dailymail.co.uk)
