Greyman Blog

On November 11, 2009, a joint operation with the Thai CWD, Region 5 Police, Swiss Police, Forensic Police and The Grey Man resulted in the arrest of a former  Swiss banker, Cornel Josef Wietlisbach.  The arrest made the front page of a number of Thai newspapers as well as Blick newspaper in Switzerland.  After receiving intelligence from a young boy who had been abused a Grey Man surveillance team watched the suspects hotel room and noticed a number of Akha hill tribe boys going to Wietlisbach’s room.  Ethnic minority groups, such as the Akha, are a typical target of peadophiles due to their poverty.On the basis of the testimony of the young boy and the surveillance material  an arrest warrant was issued.  In the joint operation Wietlisbach opened the door and a police officer then told him that he was under arrest on the charge of sexual penetration of a child under the age of fifteen. The suspect showed some resistance to his arrest but finally calmed down. The police announced his basic rights and took him into custody. There were two boys sleeping in the bed and they were taken to the police station in a separate vehicle.

Searching suspects room

Wietlisbach denied all charges and refused to say a word until his lawyer arrived.  A search of his room found an external Flash Drive and a digital camera contained pictures of unidentified naked boys.  Other forensic evidence was also collected.

Wietlisbach was denied bail and his court case will be scheduled for 2010.  A nice christmas present for Grey Man but no happy new year for Wietlisbach.

Cheers

John Curtis

Wietlisbach arrested

In April this year Grey Man was asked to assist the Crimes Against Women and Children Division (CWD) of the Royal Thai Police in an operation in Pattaya, Thailand. 

Pattaya

Reliable information alleged that a group of foreign tourists were abusing young boys of 14-15 years of age.  Further investigation confirmed that a group of men, Swedish, English, and Australian were involved. The Royal Thai Police, Nordic Police and Customs, Swedish National Crime police and Grey Man operatives began a joint investigation, codenamed Snapper.  

Joint planning for Operation Snapper

As it turned out, two of the gang  were well known to Swedish police, due to their previous history.  On 12^th May, with the assistance of Grey Man funding and personnel, the CWD arrested three of the suspects at an apartment located in Banglamung, Pattaya. They were Swedish and British nationals all aged in their 60’s. A further eight suspects are still at large, but Police have enough evidence to arrest them.  Two are known to have escaped Thailand: one a Western tourist and the other a Thai man known as Pan.  All are being hunted presently by International police.

Thailand’s Child Protection Division’s Police Major General Chaiwat Gaetworachai said that the arrested had abused many children in the Pattaya area.   During the arrests, Police officers found and confiscated sex toys, still and video cameras, computers and a photo album of naked children.  If found guilty they face long prison sentences.  Although a number of the ring are still at large, due to the fact that some were out of the country when the arrest warrants were issued, we believe they will all be caught in the near future and that the children of Pattaya are slightly safer due to our efforts. 

One of the young victims points out the suspects

Many boys were interviewed to gather evidence against these people and we respect their courage in being willing to make statements and testify in court. 

Every child abuser that we arrest prevents the future abuse of many children.  Our thanks to the CWD and the members of the Scandinavian Police units involved and especially to our Grey Man operatives who were instrumental in the arrest of these men.

These operations are funded by you so we can only do what you allow us to do.  A big thankyou to all the Grey Man supporters worldwide who enable us to continue this great work to protect children.

John Curtis