Immigration officer gets 42 years in prison for aiding drug dealers' illegal entry/exit

[webfact]

 

On January 29, 2024 news broke that the court had sentenced immigration officers and related individuals to a staggering 42 years for corruption and misconduct. The officers neglected their duties, enabling the release of dark-skinned drug dealers who entered and exited the country without proper identification.

 

The case unfolded when immigration police inspected individuals entering Thailand, revealing abnormal passport processing for drug dealers. Despite multiple recorded entries and exits, these dealers were nowhere to be found during inspections. Subsequent investigations exposed irregularities, as police officers were discovered assisting drug dealers in obtaining visas without their physical presence, reported Siam Rath.

 

Further action was taken by former Chief Inspector Surachet 'Big Joke' Hakpal, who initiated proceedings against the implicated officers. On January 11, 2024, the Special Prosecutor's Office notified airport customs officers about the progress of the three corruption cases related to the police's criminal activities.

 

The court, in a verdict dated December 20, 2023, found the police officers guilty of various charges, resulting in a combined sentence of 42 years and 56 months. This case serves as a striking example of proactive measures taken against officers who neglected their duties, especially those involved in unauthorized use of fake foundations for certification of residency.

 

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[2baht]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

enabling the release of dark-skinned drug dealers

Interesting! 

[Artisi]

Should be more investigation and prosecution - clean up the mess. 

[Dickie Dee]

8 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Should be more investigation and prosecution - clean up the mess. 

What did they get for exchange of their lives? 

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

Interesting! 

well Thailand isn't too concerned about PC 

Edited January 29 by Artisi

[mikebell]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

This case serves as a striking example of proactive measures taken against officers

It is striking; 1st because it happened; 2ndly because it is proactive. 

[Skipalongcassidy]

There were probably more than 42 officers involved... so each got less than a year in prison... and probably made more than that years income by doing what they were doing.

[ezzra]

Stop it will not, It'll only cause the grafts amounts for such people and other immigration's arrangements to go up... 

[NE1]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

resulting in a combined sentence of 42 years and 56 months

 

Wouldn't that be 46 years and 8 months ?

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Artisi said:

Should be more investigation and prosecution - clean up the mess. 

It's a sink-hole... 

[jippytum]

I wonder how many years  for the illegal  issue of non O retirement extensions to applicants without the required  bank deposits. 

[charleskerins]

6 hours ago, Artisi said:

well Thailand isn't too concerned about PC 

so if they were light skinned they would have been noted?

[Red Phoenix]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

This case serves as a striking example of proactive measures taken against officers who neglected their duties

Proactive???

[PremiumLane]

9 hours ago, 2baht said:

Interesting! 

 

It'll get the old boomers on here all excited and frothed up

[StayinThailand2much]

14 hours ago, 2baht said:

14 hours ago, webfact said:

enabling the release of dark-skinned drug dealers

Interesting! 

 

Language like in South Africa 50 years ago...

[StayinThailand2much]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

On January 11, 2024, the Special Prosecutor's Office notified airport customs officers about the progress of the three corruption cases related to the police's criminal activities.

 

Something's missing... So, did the drug dealers get stamped in at an airport without being present, i.e. did they arrive by private plane?

[StayinThailand2much]

5 hours ago, charleskerins said:

so if they were light skinned they would have been noted?

 

If they were light-skinned, it probably wouldn't have made waves, as light-skinned people are good people with high social status*...

 

 

*Beware: sarcasm!

Edited January 30 by StayinThailand2much

[proton]

5 hours ago, jippytum said:

I wonder how many years  for the illegal  issue of non O retirement extensions to applicants without the required  bank deposits. 

 

That's all legal and above board and just part of Thai culture as well as extensions from provinces not lived in- according to the many on here who use agents to do this. 😀

[Gknrd]

Proactive as in brown envelopes did not hit on time.

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Language like in South Africa 50 years ago...

It narrows down the continent, if they had been white they would be called farang.

[lordgrinz]

17 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

It narrows down the continent, if they had been white they would be called farang.

 

Maybe they just meant "dirty farangs"? It's possible they ran the press release through the translator supplied by Anutin.

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

There were probably more than 42 officers involved... so each got less than a year in prison... and probably made more than that years income by doing what they were doing.

14 individuals according to the slightly dodgy translation of the actual article...I think.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, jippytum said:

I wonder how many years  for the illegal  issue of non O retirement extensions to applicants without the required  bank deposits. 

That's not illegal, IOs have discretion as to the issuance of extensions and can waive requirements.

[Liverpool Lou]

16 hours ago, 2baht said:

16 hours ago, webfact said:

enabling the release of dark-skinned drug dealers

Interesting! 

It's interesting that the translation of the original linked full article sensibly refers to "black drug dealers", Webfact has gone too PC!

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Something's missing... So, did the drug dealers get stamped in at an airport without being present

The translated article seems to suggest that they didn't leave the country but had their passports stamped in and out frequently and those entries/exits did not tally with their actual entries/exits on the official system.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

14 individuals according to the slightly dodgy translation of the actual article...I think.

 

So from that Thai article, translated by Google, the cases seem to involve Don Mueang Airport and at least one immigration officer there, who according to the translation got a end result sentence of;

 

"According to Section 78 of the Criminal Code, imprisonment for each count will be 3 years and 4 months, a total of 14 counts, for a total of 42 years and 56 months in prison."

 

That seems to be just one example among multiple defendants but not clear from the article the identity of all the defendants involved.

 

"which reported the results of the legal action against the police and 15 people."

 

"And this is considered an example case. The former commander of the Immigration Bureau "Big Joke" has taken strict action against all officials who neglect to perform their duties by demanding benefits. And there are still many cases in progress where immigration officials neglect to perform their duties, especially cases where illegal foundations are being used to certify extension of stay."

 

[worgeordie]

Just the tip of an iceberg ....

 

 

regards worgeordie

[MangoKorat]

On 1/30/2024 at 2:41 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So from that Thai article, translated by Google, the cases seem to involve Don Mueang Airport and at least one immigration officer there, who according to the translation got a end result sentence of;

 

"According to Section 78 of the Criminal Code, imprisonment for each count will be 3 years and 4 months, a total of 14 counts, for a total of 42 years and 56 months in prison."

Just another example of the poor reporting/translations of news we seem to be getting here on a regular basis recently. 

 

The headline states 'Immigration Officer gets 42 years' - which suggests one officer.

 

The report itself goes on to state:

 

On 1/29/2024 at 9:56 PM, webfact said:

The court, in a verdict dated December 20, 2023, found the police officers guilty of various charges, resulting in a combined sentence of 42 years and 56 months.

 

[Danderman123]

In some countries, low level government functionaries engaged in corrupt behavior can be prosecuted if they neglect to pass some of their illegal income higher up the chain of command.

 

I'm sure this never happens in Thailand.

Edited January 31 by Danderman123