Pavel Maslennikov, 29, was taken into custody at Soi Romanee by Phuket Tourist Police officers. The time of arrest was not specified to The Phuket News.
Mr Maslennikov’s arrest followed a tip-off about a foreign man acting as a tour guide and leading a group of 11 Russian tourists to visit Big Buddha.
The group then proceeded to an elephant camp and Wat Chalong, or Chalong Temple, before heading to Phuket Old Town for a city tour. This was when Tourist Police officers finally approached Mr Maslennikov and took him into custody.
According to Phuket Tourist Police, Mr Maslennikov stayed in Thailand as a tourist. Prior to his arrest, he had performed four border runs to Malaysia and back to renew his permission to stay in the country. Oddly enough, this had not caused any questions from Immigration Police at the border crossing in Satun.
Mr Maslennikov was released on bail and now awaits trial.