Suspect in Rohingya human trafficking arrested after four years on the run

[webfact]

Suspect in Rohingya human trafficking arrested after four years on the run

 

 

One of the key suspects, wanted by the police for alleged involvement in the trafficking of Rohingya migrants from Myanmar into southern Thailand four years ago, has been arrested in Cambodia and handed over to Thai immigration police.

 

The suspect, Mr. Supat “Kotok” Santipiyakul, was among 148 people, including a former army advisor Lt-Gen Manat Kongpaen, was allegedly involved in the human trafficking and illegal detention of the Rohingya migrants at a border camp in Padang Besar of Hat Yai district in the southern province of Songkhla.

 

Pol Maj-Gen Surapong Chaichan, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, said today (Sunday) that Supat denied the trafficking charges but admitted he knew Lt-Gen Manat because they used to do business together.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/suspect-in-rohingya-human-trafficking-arrested-after-four-years-on-the-run/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2019-11-04

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[mikebell]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Supat denied the trafficking charges but admitted he knew Lt-Gen Manat because they used to do business together.

The business of slavery?

[Moonlover]

I'm pleased to read that the courts are handing down some pretty harsh sentences to these vile criminals.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Supat denied the trafficking charges but admitted he knew Lt-Gen Manat because they used to do business together.

he also denied being on the run for four years, saying he liked to exercise.

[impulse]

3 hours ago, Moonlover said:

I'm pleased to read that the courts are handing down some pretty harsh sentences to these vile criminals.

 

I'd like to think that's the case. 

 

But given the opacity of the Thai justice system, we'll never know if they got the real culprits, or they're just tossing some small (maybe even innocent) fish under the bus to protect the real monsters.