Australian man arrested in Thailand while allegedly preparing to smuggle meth in soap bars
The 68-year-old was taken into custody before he reached the departure gate at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.
Authorities allege he was attempting to smuggle more than four kilograms of meth back to his home country.
The haul was allegedly found hidden in bars of soap, in a bag, and in a hidden suitcase compartment.
Customs spokesman Panthong Loikulnan said the Australian had been flagged through intelligence as a high-risk traveller, and was nabbed before he could leave via Thailand's major international gateway.
The Southeast Asian country has strict penalties for drug trafficking, including the death penalty.
Loikulnan said authorities had made it a priority to crack down on the trade of drugs and illegal goods.
Since October, customs workers at the airport have made close to 200 drug seizures involving heroin, cocaine and meth.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been sought for comment.
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Sky News AU
43 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
'Completely unacceptable': Shocking scenes unfold after man allegedly beats woman unconscious at Aussie band's concert in California
Investigations in California are continuing after a man allegedly bashed a woman unconscious during a concert at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Sunday. Footage has emerged of a man allegedly throwing punches at a helpless woman and her friends during a concert by Australian dance group, Rufus Du Sol, in Pasadena, California. Shelby Elston, 33, was preparing to watch the Aussie band perform, until the stranger attacked her. The unidentified man was seen throwing punches at Ms Elston, as another woman attempted to hold him back. She was with her fiance, Cain Webb, at the time. '(I'm) still trying to find the words to describe exactly what happened to us last night,' Ms Elston wrote on Facebook. She explained: 'As soon as we got into the venue … (we) grabbed a drink and sat down in our seats in the stands. 'The boys … went to the bathroom. When they came back, Cain accidentally knocked his drink over that was sitting next to my leg and splashed a little bit onto that man in front of us. 'We immediately apologised, but this man started screaming in our face that we did it on purpose. 'He ran off into the crowd leaving his girlfriend behind. 'We again apologised to her for the drink incident and left it at that.' However, 30 minutes later, the man returned fuming. Ms Elston said he got into her fiance's face, allegedly telling him he would 'kill him' if it happened again. 'That is the last thing I remember before waking up in the medical tent an hour later,' she wrote. 'This man PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE! I was completely knocked out and there was blood pouring from my face. He continued to attack Cain while Ralph attempted to block him from the hits.' The man ran off into the crowd and was not seen again. His identity has not yet been revealed, as Pasadena Police continue the investigation. Rufus Du Sol, consisting of Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt, later released a statement on Instagram. 'Delivering moments for our fans to gather and celebrate safely is what we live for," the band wrote. 'We have been heartbroken to hear of the act of violence that took place during the opening act on Saturday. 'This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable anywhere and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to learn about.' Anyone with information should contact the Pasadena Police Department. Some LA concertgoers were left disappointed over the overcrowding of the show at Rose Bowl Stadium. 'Dangerously oversold venue with real potential for tragedy,' one commenter wrote. 'Amazing show, but a nightmare of a venue. Please look into the reviews of fans that felt unsafe in the stands and couldn't sit down for the entire show due to poor security conditions,' another added. 'Great performers but horrible experience!! Never ever would go back to Rose Bowl. Unorganised and unsafe! Got crushed in the tunnels and feared for my life. Traumatic experience !!!' a third said. Rufus Du Sol are currently on a world tour. They have finished their North American leg, following the horrible incident. The Grammy Award-winning band are set to tour Australia in November.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Eight new books to add to your bedside table pile this week
Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends. Grant Dooley. Affirm Press. $36.99. Grant Dooley and his wife, Kristan, had barely settled into their diplomatic posting to Indonesia in 2004 when a bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy compound in Jakarta, killing 11 people. Dooley was one of the first responders. Two-and-a-half years later he was on the scene when Garuda flight 200 crashed in Yogyakarta, killing 20 people - five of them Australians. Dooley's description of running to the burning aircraft, hoping desperately to find friends and colleagues on board, is one of the most powerful scenes in a memoir that captures the emotional and psychological toll of his tumultuous time in Indonesia. Nicole Madigan. Pantera Press. $36.99. Investigative journalist Nicole Madigan's second work of non-fiction is an intimate exploration of why people choose to stay in toxic relationships and what drives them to leave. It tells the stories of four women who fought devastatingly hard for relationships that were tarnished by betrayal, hurt, lies and behaviours that fractured the foundation on which they were built. This is an impressive follow-up to 2023's Obsession: A journalist and victim-survivor's investigation into stalking. If you liked Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, Torn offers insights into the complexities of love, infidelity, addiction and grief. Tim Booth. Macmillan Australia. $36.99. Stories about the bizarre stuff medical professionals face in their daily lives are a rich seam well mined by doctors, nurses and paramedics. The latest collection comes from Tim Booth, who was a motoring journalist before he handed in his road-testing keys and became an intensive care paramedic. From the woman who called 000 because she had run out of milk to a dairy-related crisis of a more adult kind involving the illegal drug GHB and copious amounts of custard, Booth takes readers behind the scenes in the world of emergency medicine, with generous lashings of absurdity and dark humour. Stuart Mullins & Bill Hayes. Simon & Schuster. $36.99. It was a crime that changed post-war Australia. On Australia Day 1966 three children - Jane, Arnna and Grant Beaumont - went missing from Glenelg Beach in South Australia. They were never seen again. It was a story at least as seismic for generations of parents as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007. The authors, one a writer and the other a former police detective, have years of experience with the case. They name the prime suspect in the mystery as a businessman who was considered a pillar of Adelaide society, but who in reality was a serial predator. Natalia Figueroa Barroso. UQP. $34.99. Uruguayan-Australian Natalia Figueroa Barroso's debut novel spans two continents and three generations of women. The stories of Gaciela, daughter Rita and aunt Chula explore the different perspectives of a family's migrant past through identity, nostalgia for one's origins and buried secrets. Taking place in Western Sydney, 1970s Uruguay and present-day Montevideo, the novel shows that though trauma can be generational, there are often ways to heal. The author attributes her writing inspiration for her novel to The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn and Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sophie Green. Hachette. $34.99. Sophie Green's latest novel is a cozy read that will make you want to curl up on the couch with the crew at the Seaside Salon, Trudy, Anna, Evie and Josie. The four women either work or are clients at the salon in a classic coastal town. We follow them in the winter months of the 1980s as they find love and friendship, sometimes in unexpected places. Green's characterisation brings you quickly onside while the insights into a hairdresser's careful negotiation with their clients makes you smile. Oceanforged: The Wicked Ship Amelia Mellor. Affirm Press. $16.99. This is the first instalment of a promised five-book fantasy adventure series from the author of historical fantasy trilogy The Grandest Bookshop in the World. Recommended for readers aged 8 to 12, Oceanforged follows 13-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life aboard the pirate ship Harridan skippered by the fearsome Captain Scrimshaw. When a powerful gauntlet from an ancient magical suit of armour fuses itself to her arm, plucky Cori thinks it's her ticket to freedom but first she must learn about courage and resilience, helped by her new friends, Tarn and Jem, who have amazing skills of their own. Suzanne Do. Macmillan Australia. $34.99. Lili Berry's life in the charming coastal village of Swanning is upended by the death of her twin sister, Honey. Fuelled by grief, Lili strives to uncover the truth. Pete, who is haunted by the disappearance of his son 15 years ago, is the one who found Honey's body. He and Lili plunge headfirst into the dark secrets and lies of their not always close-knit community. This is the debut novel of former lawyer Suzanne Do, who with husband Anh Do co-wrote The Little Refugee, a children's version of his bestselling memoir, The Happiest Refugee, and the feature film Footy Legends.
Courier-Mail
3 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Woman allegedly beaten unconscious at Australian band, Rüfüs Du Sol, concert in California
Don't miss out on the headlines from Music Tours. Followed categories will be added to My News. A terrifying viral video shows a man savagely beating a woman unconscious at a concert in the Rose Bowl on Sunday night. The man can be seen pummelling a helpless woman and her friends at a show by Australian EDM band, Rüfüs Du Sol, in the famous stadium in Pasadena, California. Shelby Elston, a mum of three from Phoenix, Arizona, said she blacked out and woke up in the venue's medical tent, according to a Facebook post. Ms Elston said the conflict kicked off when her fiance accidentally spilled his drink on another concertgoer, who stormed off — only to return a half-hour later, screaming death threats. A male concertgoer is seen on video allegedly punching a woman Picture: Twitter/Festive Owl He is accused of repeatedly throwing punches. Picture: Twitter/Festive Owl Never miss the latest entertainment news from Australia and around the world — download the app direct to your phone. She said she put herself between the two men, and the attacker snapped, knocking her into the bleachers and pounding her again and again, even after she had been knocked out cold, the video shows. He punched two other men as the crowd pulled him off her. 'This man PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE! I was completely knocked out and there was blood pouring from my face,' Ms Elston wrote. He then 'continued to attack' her fiance and another friend, she said. She spent the rest of the concert in the venue's medical tent but made it safely back to her hotel, she said. The victim, Shelby Elston, is helped up by another concertgoer. Picture: Twitter/Festive Owl A spokesperson for the Pasadena Police Department confirmed that a police report had been filed with the same details, but they have not arrested a suspect, who Ms Elston said 'ran off into the crowd never to be seen again'. 'We are aware of the videos. We will aggressively follow up on any leads. It is a pretty clear shot of the suspect, so I'm pretty confident we will identify the suspect,' said Lisa Derderian, the public information officer for the city of Pasadena. Ms Derderian said the attack happened before the sold-out concert started and that an entire entry tunnel was briefly closed for paramedics to get through. The man who allegedly threw the punches. Picture: Twitter/Festive Owl Security rushed to the section of the Rose Bowl in California seconds later. Picture: Twitter/Festive Owl She said that Rose Bowl events have emergency teams standing by and the historic venue is generally safe for visitors. 'There were 60,000 people there. When you get that many people at any event, you definitely have incidents. I think this was more of a one-off,' she said. Some concertgoers disagree. When Rüfüs Du Sol posted a recap of the concert on Instagram, several top-level comments blasted the concert as overcrowded and dangerous. 'Dangerously oversold venue with real potential for tragedy,' one commenter wrote. Australian EDM band Rüfüs Du Sol at the Grammys in 2022. Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images 'Amazing set, horrible experience. The venue was very understaffed and we felt very unsafe. Aisles completely lined shoulder to shoulder with people, no way to get in or out,' said another. Rüfüs Du Sol issued a statement about the attack. 'Delivering moments for our fans to gather and celebrate safely is what we live for,' they said, according to the statement relayed by Rolling Stone. 'We have been heart broken to hear of the act of violence that took place during the opening act on Saturday.' Originally published as Woman allegedly beaten unconscious at Australian band's concert in California
