Irishman for extradition in drug probe
James Henry Kinch who was born in Ireland, but has spent most of his life in Britain, is currently being held in Bangkok, Thailand. He is thought to have been a middle man between the Netherlands-based gang and a senior Australian police figure. That criminal investigator, Mark Standen, an assistant director with the New South Wales Crime Commission, was yesterday charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a controlled substance, conspiracy to supply a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Another man, Bakhos Jalalaty — alleged to be Standen’s co-conspirator — is also charged with similar offences. A further 12 men have been arrested in the Netherlands as part of the investigation. The Australian authorities and the crime commission had been jointly investigating Standen’s alleged involvement in the syndicate since July 2007.
