An Italian tourist was arrested for allegedly selling drugs following the death of a British reveller on the island of the notorious Full Moon Party in Thailand.

Federico Carlo Eugenio Pistolesi, 36, had reportedly been supplying banned narcotics to retailers and foreign tourists on Koh Phangan island. He also ran shady real estate businesses believed to be fronts for money laundering.

Police arrested him on the tropical tourist island on December 19, following investigations into a drug network in the region.

The crackdown came after Christopher Stephen Boucher, 37, died on November 16 from a boozy all-nighter on the island. Officers believe he had also taken drugs at the beach party.

Police Major General Panumas Boonyalak, acting commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said in a press conference on Thursday: ‘Pistolesi and his drug network have been living in Thailand for several years, mostly on Koh Phangan, with no occupations or other businesses.

‘They started setting up companies to launder money from selling drugs. They would attend parties held by foreigners and sell drugs at entertainment venues.

‘We will continue following the paper trail to arrest others involved. The Immigration Bureau will revoke their visas and place them on the blacklist.'

Police seized 24 pieces of evidence, including a bank account containing 6.6 million baht (153,000 GBP), a 0.79-acre plot of land worth eight million baht (185,000 GBP), and a Mazda sedan.

Pistolesi was charged with distributing Category 1 and 2 narcotics, colluding to commit serious drug offenses, colluding with two or more people to commit money laundering, and illegal possession of Category 1 narcotics.

His arrest follows a previous investigation in which an overstaying Brit, Peter Hull, was nabbed for possessing category 1 and 2 narcotics on Koh Samui island in March.

Authorities found that Hull had been transferring money to buy 200,000 baht (4,600 GBP) of drugs from the Italian man over the past year. They investigated the receiving account and found 71 million baht of transactions believed to be from drug sales.

Immigration police this month also arrested French man Roman Malik Bertagno, 37, for possessing and consuming category 2 narcotics, and Russian man Anton Zaozerov, 39, for possessing category 5 narcotics.

The Russian suspect reportedly operated an illegally registered villa cleaning business used as a front for drug dealings.

Both were detained at the Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal action.

The drug crack down comes after a British tourist was found dead following the annual Full Moon Party on the island.

Christopher Stephen Boucher, 37, from Gillingham, Kent, had downed cheap shots before trying to find his way home from the raucous beach event. However, he was found dead shortly after 6:30 am on December 16.

Police and paramedics arrived at around 7:20am but they were unable to revive Christopher. They believe he had taken 'drink and drugs' at the Full Moon Party on Sunday night.

The Thai Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party on the island of Koh Phangan. The party takes place on the night of every full moon and is usually attended by thousands of backpackers.

However, the event has become a notorious celebration filled with cheap drink and drugs. With cannabis now legal on the island, magic mushrooms, kratom, methamphetamine and LSD are also widely available.

Last August, a Spanish actor's son killed and chopped up his gay lover who was attending the Full Moon Party together with him.

Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, 29, allegedly battered wealthy Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, 44, to death, before dismembering him and throwing his body parts into the sea.

Edwin's pelvis was discovered in a rubbish dump, sparking an investigation that led to Daniel's arrest.

(1 GBP = 43.23 THB)