- Thai police detain officers accused of extorting millions in baht from a Chinese resident in a fake warrant scheme.
- The suspects posed as law enforcement with a fake warrant, demanding Mr. Sai pay 10 million USDT to drop false charges.
- Seven suspects, including police officers, are arrested as Thai police continue their investigation into the case.
Thai police have detained several officers’ of their rank for demanding millions of baht from a Chinese man. The incident which occurred mid-October involved six Thai police officers and a man dressed as a policeman accomplice who allegedly stormed the house of Mr. Sai, a Chinese who lives in Samutprakarn Thailand. Posing as officers with a search warrant, they arrested Mr. Sai for passport forgery and told him that for 10 million USDT they will make the charges go away.
According to a recent report, the group produced an identity card which looked very much like a legal search warrant paraphernal with the logo of His Majesty the King of Thailand. Accompanying these officers were two Chinese interpreters who after reading the warrant in Chinese added to the general air of credibility. As Mr. Sai could not read Thai language he complied and let the group go through his house.
As soon as they entered the house, the officers accused Mr. Sai of forging passports and employing foreign workers without legal permits to work in the country; they took away everybody’s mobile phones and a computer, and upped the pressure to make him obtain their cooperation.
Thai Police Intensify Extortion
Mr. Sai told that the authorities would investigate him and the case would only let him out of jail after paying for 10 million USDT, the group threatened him with the severest consequences for non-compliance. It came to a more complex level when they took Mr. Sai to a different fake ‘government building for further interrogation, where they produced a seemingly lower amount they wanted him to pay.
In one conflict-suffused meeting, Mr. Sai begrudgingly agreed to wire 5.6 million baht ($117,000) and made other payments in digital currencies to the group’s accounts. The gang proceeded to threaten Mr. Sai to produce a video in which he proceeded to state that the officers did not COMMIT any offense. After this, they took back his mobile phone but retained the computer which was seized from him.
Extortion Scandal Unfolds
On the 17th of October, the group contacted Mr. Sai again to ask for further 700 000 baht (equivalent of 146 000 USDT) to disclose the identities of the culprits. Feeling more and more uncomfortable, Mr. Sai contacted an attorney and, going through him, reported the crime to the Thai authorities; the case was promptly solved.
The Thai police have arrested seven persons among them six police officers in connection to the case. , three more cyber police officers have also resigned from service while two of the translators are still absconding.
The case is still under investigation, but Thai’s would not allow the criminals to go unpunished. The case has brought out the issues of insecurity of foreigners in Thailand and unwanted police brutality; Thai police have assure to be more transparent and next time lawful while seeking justice for this extortion scandal involving their board of directors.
