A Frenchman wanted by Interpol over alleged drug offences has been arrested in Thailand.

Quincy Beaunes, 32, from Clamart, was tracked down by Thailand's Immigration Bureau on an Interpol Red Notice for allegedly being linked to an international drug trafficking network.

He reportedly worked as a middleman for a Paris-based crime ring smuggling illegal drugs between Europe and America, before fleeing to Thailand last month.

Police said he arrived through the Suvarnabhumi International Airport near Bangkok. He stayed in the coastal town of Pattaya, allegedly planning to escape to another country before he was detained on January 12.

Officers confirmed his identity and hauled him to an immigration detention centre pending deportation.

Police Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyalug, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said: ‘We will not allow Thailand to be a hiding place for transnational criminals as we adhere to the Royal Thai Police policy of 'cleaning the house'.

‘This arrest reflects the efficiency of our database system and the proactive efforts of investigators to ensure that Thailand remains a safe destination for good tourists but a dangerous area for criminals.'