Thai police still searching for cars, boats belonging to alleged trafficking kingpin

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Thai Police Still Searching For Cars, Boats Belonging to Alleged Trafficking Kingpin
By Khaosod English


A press conference in Songkhla on police's crackdown on human trafficking, 15 June 2015.

SONGKHLA — Police say they are still looking for ten assets belonging to the alleged ringleader of human trafficking operations in southern Thailand, who is currently in police custody along with 54 other trafficking suspects.

According to police, three Mercedes-Benzes and seven fishing boats owned by Patchuban Angchotipan, aka Ko Tong, have been missing since police charged him with human trafficking and illegal detention on 11 May. Patchuban, who is a former local administrative official and owns resorts in Satun province, surrendered to police on 18 May.

"Whoever is possessing these assets will also be guilty of money-laundering," said Pol.Gen. Aek Angsananont, deputy commander of Thai Police. He added that police have confiscated more than 200 million baht worth of assets from suspected traffickers since they launched a crackdown on the network in May.

Police say Patchuban is the leader of the crime syndicate that detained and abused foreign migrants in jungle prisons near the Thai-Malaysian border until their relatives paid hefty ransom fees. At least five of such detention camps, along with mass graves that contained hundreds of corpses, were discovered by Thai officers in May, prompting police to launch an unprecedented crackdown on the long-running human smuggling operation.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1434443735


-- Khaosod English 2015-06-16

[JOC]

Love the picture in the OP!!

A solemn looking officer pointing at a empty spot on the placard!!

Skillfully avoiding the mugshots of fellow officers/ colleagues...............

[Johnnie99]

Couldn't they just check the registration records?

I am sure that would provide the answers for which they look.

[Srikcir]

Love the picture in the OP!!

A solemn looking officer pointing at a empty spot on the placard!!

Skillfully avoiding the mugshots of fellow officers/ colleagues...............

It looks like he is pointing to a military organization chart where a flag officer would be the "kingpin."