Thai court orders extradition of NSCN arms deals ‘broker’

Willy was picked up by Thailand at India’s request last year.

In a significant breakthrough, a Bangkok court on Monday issued an order to extradite a Thai national and middlemen Willy Naruenartwanich, accused of brokering arms deals between Chinese suppliers and Northeast insurgent outfits, said officials.

It relates to an NIA case in which Anthony Shimray, a top NSCN (IM) operative, arrested in 2010 for negotiating through Willy for procuring huge quantity of arms and ammunition for his outfit. While issuing the order, the court has allowed 30 days time to the fugitive if Willy wants to appeal against order.

Willy was picked up by Thailand at India’s request last year. According to Shimray, Willy brokered significant arms deals between Chinese suppliers and Northeast insurgent outfits. The court order came after a team from the National Investigative Agency (NIA) presented evidence before the Thai authorities.

As per NIA chargesheet, Willy runs a spa business in Thailand and had emerged as a key figure during the interrogation of Shimray, who had bewildered Indian interrogators with the details of his alleged dealings. As per NIA, Shimray had reportedly told interrogators that Willy was his main interlocutor with Chinese arms dealers and had brokered a $2 million deal involving supply of around 1,000 firearms, including 600 AK-47s and ammunition.

The deal, according to the NIA chargesheet, was re-negotiated to $1 million. After a six-month investigation, NIA filed a chargesheet against Shimray and three others, including a foreign national, at a Delhi court.