Six Thai Police Officers Arrested in 300 Million Baht Fake Warrant Scam

[webfact]

Picture courtesy: Siam Rath

 

On 31 October, Bangkok police detained seven individuals, including six officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, linked to an elaborate ฿300 million extortion scheme involving a fake search warrant and passport forgery accusations. The suspects, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanchai (41), are charged with extortion, misconduct, and abuse of power.

 

The investigation started after Sai, a Vanuatu national, and his wife, alongside a Chinese friend and their domestic helper, reported a group of men who posed as police officers and forced entry into their home in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan Province.

 

The suspects, presenting a falsified warrant, accused Sai of involvement in a passport forgery linked to four detained Filipinos. They reportedly claimed one of the detainees had named him in the scheme.

 

During the search, the suspects confiscated phones and a computer, warning Sai that hiring a foreign domestic worker without proper documentation could incur additional charges.

 

Picture courtesy: Siam Rath

 

Exploiting his unfamiliarity with Thai law, they demanded ฿300 million or the equivalent in cryptocurrency to avoid prosecution. When Sai refused, they lowered the demand to ฿10 million.

 

Ultimately, Sai transferred ฿5 million in cryptocurrency across two transactions to a digital wallet controlled by a translator accompanying the group, who relayed the suspects' demands.

 

Following the extortion, Sai reported the incident, leading to an internal police investigation. On 28 October, several suspects were arrested, though two key accomplices remain at large, including the translator.

 

A special committee, led by senior officers, is now examining the case, uncovering the involvement of 12 individuals in total. As the investigation continues, the authorities aim to bring all suspects to justice, including the remaining two at large.

 

This high-profile case has drawn significant attention to law enforcement oversight in Thailand, with senior officials promising to enforce accountability and strengthen regulations to prevent similar abuses, reported Siam Rath.

 

-- 2024-11-01

 

 

[Gottfrid]

Outrageous! The police are committing crimes is this country.

Edited 2 hours ago by Gottfrid

[webfact]

Cyber cops caught in 300 million baht web of greed
by Petch Petpailin

 

Photo via Thai Rath

Nine Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) officers and three additional suspects allegedly attempted to extort 300 million baht from a Vanuatu-Chinese couple. Ten suspects were arrested while two others remain at large.

 

The Vanuatu man named Sai and his Chinese wife reported to officers at Bang Sue Police Station that a group of men claiming to be police officers swindled 5.7 million baht from him. The couple stated that the group included police officers, a Thai interpreter named Apartsara Sonklin and her Chinese husband named Yun Daliang.

 

According to Sai, the group raided his home in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, presenting a document with the royal warrant and garuda emblem of Thailand, which convinced the couple to allow a search.

 

Each police officer communicated with Sai and his wife through Apartsara, who acted as their interpreter. Apartsara read out a legal document to the couple, claiming that a Filipino suspect, who was arrested for making counterfeit passports, confessed that Sai was involved in the crime.

Sai firmly insisted on his innocence, stating that he had no involvement in producing fake passports and did not know any Filipino suspects in the case.

 

The situation escalated as the group seized the mobile phones of the couple, their housemaid, and Sai’s Chinese friend. They also inspected Sai’s computer, claiming they needed to search for evidence.

300 million baht demanded

 

The group then offered the couple an ultimatum: pay 300 million baht, or 10 million USDT, to have all legal cases dropped. Sai refused, believing in his innocence.

 

Consequently, the police took Sai, his wife, his Chinese friend, and the maid into their car. During the journey, the officers lowered their demand to 10 million baht, but Sai still refused.

 

The group eventually brought them to the Cyber Crime office, where only Sai and his wife were taken to a separate room. Under pressure, Sai transferred a total of 5 million baht in both baht and USDT to the group. The cryptocurrency transfer went to Apartsara’s account but Sai did not disclose the destination of the baht transfer.

 

After receiving the money, the corrupt officers took photographs of the couple, their maid, and Sai’s friend, then returned their mobile phones and allowed them to leave. However, Sai’s computer remained with the group.

 

On October 17, around 1pm, Apartsara contacted Sai, claiming she knew who was behind his recent arrest but would only reveal the information if he transferred 700,000 baht. Sai agreed and made the transfer to Apartsara’s cryptocurrency account. However, after receiving the funds, Apartsara blocked Sai and provided no information.

 

Suspects deny

 

An investigation by Bang Sue Police Station officers confirmed nine genuine police officers and three others involved in the case, including six police officers and one Thai civilian:

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanachai Jaikla
Police Captain Amnuay Kongklin
Police Captain Thanakrit Kanchanamart
Police Senior Sergeant Major Chayaphon Wongpan
Police Senior Sergeant Major Pongthep Sangkala
Police Senior Sergeant Major Manassawee Janyaluck
Police Senior Sergeant Major Siam Thongmon
Police Senior Sergeant Major Suphan Kongsai
Police Sergeant Major Kittiphum Jeenplaengchart
Warut Wanthongsook
Apartsara Sonklin
Apatsara’s Chinese husband, Yun Daliang

Three of them surrendered at Tung Song Hong Police Station following the summon request including Thanakrit, Suphan, and Kittiphum. Police officers arrested more suspects on October 28, but Apatsara and her Chinese husband remain at large.

 

The suspects were charged under Section 149 of the Criminal Code: requesting, receiving, or agreeing to receive property or benefits and committing illegal acts while holding an official position. The penalty ranges from five to 20 years of imprisonment, life imprisonment, or a fine of 100,000 to 400,000 baht.

All suspects denied the allegations and requested bail, providing cash and property as collateral. They were granted bail and must submit documents to clarify their actions within seven years.

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-11-01

 

 

[Danderman123]

Police in Thailand seem to have a lot of money.

[Enzian]

"Laws" seem selectively enforced on people who seem to have lots of money, but not on that increasing number of guys standing on Sukhumvit around Nana station who keep whispering Need something? Can I help you?

[terryq]

I cannot believe Thai police would knowingly be involved in a scam like this !!

 

Must be some extremely complex misunderstanding ...

 

 

[quake]

What very nice police officers they were.

Very few good ones, I would say.

TIT. 

[Sophon]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

They were granted bail and must submit documents to clarify their actions within seven years.

 

Surely, this must be a misprint?

[spidermike007]

One wonders if there will be a conviction in this case, and if so if there will be any high-ranking officers who will be sent to prison for a significant period of time.

 

It is an extremely rare occurrence here and the will to go after these guys seems to be very minimal. 

[Gknrd]

Best to fly under the radar in Thailand. Or anywhere for that matter. Thai police are the mafia in a lot of places in Thailand

[Classic Ray]

“Surely, this must be a misprint?“

 

Judging by the rate of progress in the Southern provinces massacre case (time expired after 20 years) and the Red Bull heir case (only one charge left after 12 years), the suspects in this case may be allowed 7 years to explain themselves.

[ronster]

300 million down to 10 million 😂

Great negotiating skills !

[BKKBike09]

A 'Vanuatu-Chinese couple'. Right.

 

I bet 5 million in USDT that 'Sai' is a Chinese national involved in some sort of shady business. These guys all have passports from Vanuatu, Dominica, Cambodia etc because, when caught, they absolutely do not want to be deported back to the PRC.

[Paul52]

6 minutes ago, ronster said:

300 million down to 10 million 😂

Great negotiating skills !

My thoughts exactly 🤣

[trainman34014]

Watch this story get swept away with all the other 'charges' laid against Cops over the last 20 years. At most they will be transfered to inactive posts until after about a year or two it will all be firgotten and everyone back to their 'jobs'.

 

Whole Police System needs tearing down from top to bottom; everyone knows that but nobody in Government will ever do anything about it, as at the end of the day they are all Corrupt and the Public all know it but are too weak to rise up against them all in an organised way.

[harryviking]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

Police in Thailand seem to have a lot of money.

I remember from years back when we were wondering about why police officers salaries were so low.- The answer I got was that they had the chance to extort money from the population and therefore did not need a high salary! Lol! 😆

[DPKANKAN]

"They were granted bail and must submit documents to clarify their actions within seven years."

 

What!!!! within 7 years!!!! 7 weeks max. should be more like it ffs!!!

 

[Aussie999]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

Outrageous! The police are committing crimes is this country.

I'm calling it BS, no government office with "Royal" in its title would stoop so low, and bring the good name of Thailand,  the RTP, or the Monarchy  into disrepute... nah, it can't be true... surely.  555

[Callmeishmael]

So, what is the statute of limitations for this kind of crime?  6 years and 11 months?