Two Canadians are suspects in the murder of Jimi ‘Slice’ Sandhu in Thailand
International crime agency Interpol issued two “red notice” arrest warrants late on Monday for a pair of Canadian suspects in relation to the murder of an Indian gangster outside a luxury villa in Phuket, Thailand.
The non-binding arrest warrant named Canadian citizens Matthew Leandre Ovide Dupre and Gene Karl Lahrkamp, both 36. They are believed to have gunned down the Indian gangster on February 5.
Jimi ‘Slice’ Sandhu – whose nickname refers to a scar on his right cheek – was shot on the island of Phuket having flown there on a private jet from Malaysia in January, according to Thai police. They said that he was carrying two pieces of ID, each with a different name.
Sandhu, who had previously resided in Canada, was charged with second-degree murder of another gangster in 2014. He was also detained over alleged involvement in international ketamine production and smuggling.
Interpol said that the two wanted Canadians had left Thailand on February 6 and described them as armed and dangerous.
“I think this case is unique,” said Khemmarin Hassiri, commander of the foreign affairs division of the Royal Thai Police. “This is not just a hit and run, they have masterminded it, they would have someone who supported them in Canada and Thailand,” he told AFP.
Hassiri confirmed the Interpol red notices issued late Monday and added that their own investigation into the 32-year-old’s murder was ongoing.
Police gathered CCTV footage showing the moment the gunmen jumped out from the bushes near a beachside villa and shot Sandhu 10 times. Interpol said that a GPS device was taped to the Indian’s car before the shooting.
Police found handbags worth thousands of dollars, multiple passports and 700,000 baht (around $27,000), the Bangkok Post reported.
Hassiri said Royal Thai Police had been in touch with Canadian authorities who alerted them that Sandhu had been involved in criminal activities. He was deported from Canada in 2016, according to media there.
Several news outlets have suggested that one or even both of the wanted men were former Canadian Armed Forces members with some connection to organized crime gangs in British Columbia.
