YET ANOTHER COVER UP - THE SCANDAL OF THE KOH PHANGAN DRUG PROGRAMME

"It was terrifying. My boyfriend was dead. He was staring me in the face and not breathing - but all the clinic boss would say was 'He's just sleeping'.

A young Australian woman has told how she fled the Thai island of Koh Phangan after her fiancé died in front of her while undergoing a highly suspect hallucinogenic drug treatment programme.

Treatment boss Victor Cracknell - some mistake

While American self-styled drugs gurus told her to keep quiet or there would be big trouble Kara Spark fled the island on the first available ferry to Koh Samui, she claimed, only to be pursued in continuing efforts to cover up the death.  

Brodie Noel Smith from Mandurah, West Australia, died after being administered with the hallucogenic drug Ibogaine on the first morning of a US$5300 combined four day treatment programme in a US$19 dollar guest house on the island, said 25-year-old Kara Spark.

The programme had been irresponsibly promoted by the Bangkok ‘Coconuts’ website. Ibogaine which comes from the root bark of the Iboga tree is used in tribal rituals in West Africa.

Coconuts TV filmed one Briton and one American undergoing treatment provided by Picone and Cracknell, Show host Barbara Woolsey described them as being 'in another world' - In Brodie's case he really was.

It has been hailed as a miracle and almost instante cure for drug addiction.  But other drug rehab programme directors say no such wonder cure exists. But they of course run different programmes.

Kara and Brodie

Kara Spark, 25, also from Mandurah, West Australia told how Brodie died in front of her in  Utopia bungalows on Phangan. Both of them had signed up for the course.

Brodie had a long term drugs problem and had been in and out of prison, but Kara went along in essence to hold his hand. But she paid for the course too because she had been convinced ibogaine solved many other problems, such as anxiety.

A subsequent police report which said that Brodie died after injecting himself with an unknown narcotic was a complete an utter lie she claimed.

Both Ms Spark and Brodie’s mother Dianne Tucker  who works as a Co-ordinator for the Ngaringga Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation in Halls Creek, Kimberley, managing a refuge for victims of domestic violence, are calling for an enquiry into what went wrong.

The owners of Ibogaine-Thailand Victor Cracknell and Mike Picone hail from Buffalo, New York, and are former drug users. They claimed to be licensed by the Thai Ministry of Public Health – and their logo is very similar to the Ministry’s.

But they have no premises, no medical qualifications, and employ no staff, medical or otherwise, though Kara says a third person, an American woman called Brea was present on the day of Brodie’s death. This may be a woman called Breazus Love on Facebook and on Victor Cracknell's Facebook page who has just given birth.

Their only item of medical equipment is a heart rate monitor.

Global Ibogaine Therapist Alliance which advocates the use of Ibogaine to cure drug addiction has begun its own enquiry.

Mike Picone

Of more concern is the cover up on an island where almost anything goes..at a price.  And how the two Americans were even allowed to administer such a course.

One of the Americans has put a fuzzy photo of his work permit on his Facebook page. However it is not clear enough for anyone to detect what the work permit was for.

Police from the same command which investigated the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on the neighbouring island of Koh Tao appear to have paid scant attention to his death.

Victor Cracknell told them that he discovered the body when he called on the couple who were old friends intending to take them around the island on a tour.

That was a clear lie. They had only met the day before when the Americans met their new clients at the local ferry point.

Said Kara:“Brodie heard about the treatment on the net so we filled in the form provided. I spoke to both Americans  by phone a number of times. 

They said we would be in a four star resort with floatation tanks. It turned out to be an empty guest house.

Ministry of Public Health Logo

“We arrived on October 21st and Victor checked us in. They re-assured us and told us they were Thai Government approved. We were disappointed with the accommodation.But we had paid already.

“Treatment began the following morning.  First of all we drank a lot of water then Victor gave what he said was an initial anti-nausea dose of ibogaine in capsule form at 8.30 pm. At 9.am he gave the rest. 

“I wanted to lie on the same bed as Brodie. But they said I could not do so – as it could be dangerous if he flailed around. 

“At about 11.40 am Brodie Vic told us to take two valiums. They gave us two pills each. They were hexagonal. Within twenty minutes Brodie was having trouble breathing. His breathing was heavy. He was short of breath.  Then he stopped breathing. He was staring at me his eyes wide open

.

Ibogaine Thailand logo

“I called out his name twice. He did not respond. Vic Cracknell said ‘No he is just sleeping.’ But I knew Brodie was dead.  Vic told me to take some more valium and go to sleep in another room. He said I was hysterical. Well I was hysterical. I had just watched my boyfriend die in front of me. 

“I wanted get off the island. They would not let me use a phone to call my Nan in Australia. But eventually relented. I asked them to find out how I could get off the island.
“Nobody wanted to take Brodie to the hospital. But I screamed and shouted. Eventually he was moved at about 2pm. Police came but I did not talk to them. I was in no state to. I was scared of them. Vic said we would ALL be in trouble. 

“I did not listen to the story Vic gave police. I just wanted to get away.  I got to the ferry point and got the 4.45 pm ferry to Koh Samui, but when I arrived Mike Picone was there waiting for me. He must have got a speedboat. I said I wanted to go to a hospital. I was not feeling well myself. I thought I was going to die to. I had trouble breathing.

Cracknell's Facebook profile

“Mike would not give my passport. He had taken the passports from our luggage in all the confusion. He wanted to book me into a resort. I refused. I tried to get into a taxi but he told the taxi driver not to take me to a hospital. 

“Eventually he relented. I was taken to the Bangkok-Samui hospital and admitted to the ICU. Thankfully I had travel insurance. The bill for one day was US$1700. 

 Mike said it was a miracle I was alive. He said my adrenalin kept me alive.
“All the time he was trying to tell me to lie if I was questioned. 

“My family managed to get hold of the Australian Embassy and their Honorary Consul Kenneth Chung came to see me. I told him the whole story and he said the Americans should be facing attempted murder or manslaughter.

“ I would not take part in any cover up. I gave the whole story to a policeman called Virapong who came from Koh Phanghan – but now I hear that Ibogaine-Thailand is still operating and taking cash.”

Brodie’s mother Diane Parker is also shocked. She said: “They killed my son. There is no doubt about it.”

Shortly before his death Brodie posted a Facebook message looking forward to getting his treatment and ending his methamphetamine addiction.

In his letter he said he he knew his mother ;Mamma Bear' would be happy with his latest news which wast that he was going to undergo Ibogaine treatment in Thailand.

"It has a 92 per cent of people not using within the first six months at all, " he said adding that it was not well known because it was illegal in many countries 'cos of its hallucinogenic properties' and secondly because pharmaceutical companies did not share in the profits so opposed it.





Mrs Tucker sent an emotional message to IbogaineThailand.net:

"You bastards murdered him. I just watched the video on one of your other websites, and the hotel room shown look nothing like the photos I have of his room.

Mrs.Tucker said:

"Three weeks after Brodie died, I had a " heart attack", right in front of Kara.  

"I have what is called Kotosubo Cardiomyopathy. It is also known as broken heart syndrome. 

Dianne Tucker

"Fortunately, a colleague was with me, and performed CPR until an ambulance arrived. I kept telling them at the hospital, that I duct have a heart attack, my heart was just broken."

Both women said Brodie did not inject drugs. A death certificate states that Brodie died of heart seizure after taking narcotics.

But the hospitals on Koh Phangan and little more than clinics and holding places for patients of the international hospitals on Koh Samui.

Neither Cracknell nor Picone responded to questions sent to them. However when we asked for information to book in a client they sent the following message.

Cracknell and Picone on the rather naive 'Coconuts' video

"We would be happy to facilitate this life changing session for your friend. We would need to hear from your friend personally. He would need to be completely off Yaba, meth and alcohol for at least 5 days before doing IbogAine. Failure to follow this requirement could result in irreparable harm and even death.  

Our treatment costs $2500 usd. that includes 4 days accommodation, fruit, juices and water. We require a $850 usd deposit to reserve the treatment dates. We are normally booked 3 months in advance but we do have some availability if your friend wanted to come sooner.  

We would need a few basic medical tests from your friend. They are called ECG, LFT and CBC. Please have your friend fill out the medical inquiry form on our website so we know how best to prepare and treat him.
Thank you - Victor and Mike"

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