Police told not to spare ‘gambling hosts’ who accused them of extortion

Police told not to spare 'gambling hosts' who accused them of extortion
FILE PHOTO: During a press briefing on November 6, 2023, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation Pol Maj Suriya Singhakamol explains the chart depicting the network of online gambling sites known as the” UFA” and its financial history. ( Bangkok Post image )

Prosecutors overturned Chon Buri officer’s decision to drop charges against six alleged online gaming visitors after they had previously charged them with extorting 140 million ringgit from them.

The six defendants were charged with hosting playing fraudulently and laundering cash on December 19 of last year by police at the Saen Suk depot in Chon Buri, according to Wacharin Panurat, a deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney General.

According to Mr. Wacharin, deputy chief of the OAG’s Department of Investigation, the police were ordered by the prosecution to deliver the defendants before them on January 18 for trial on the costs.

Because they claimed that some testimonies who had testified against the defendants changed their minds, earlier police at the Saen Suk place decided not to hit the costs.

Public prosecutors thought there was sufficient evidence and witnesses for the trial, according to Mr. Wacharin, because different witnesses steadfastly testified against the defendants.

Thaninwat Udomchaoset, one of the six offenders, recently charged Chon Buri officers with extorting 140 million baht from them following their arrest in May of last year. The bribery was supposedly given in exchange for a promise to shield the suspects from legal actions for running Foxbet168, an online gambling site.

According to Mr. Wacharin, Mr Thaninwat had never changed his position on the bribery charge.

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