Police at an morning hours checkpoint were wrong to release a visiting Taiwanese actress caught with a prohibited vapouriser and were being investigated for achievable extortion in exchange pertaining to allowing her to leave, the City Police Bureau key said.
Pol Lt Style Thiti Saengsawang told a press conference at the bureau upon Monday that an initial investigation found how the policemen set up a checkpoint in front of the Chinese embassy and the tourist was seen in camera footage with the vapouriser in her ownership.
The investigation grew from the controversy over the extortion alleged by Taiwanese celebrity Charlene An, whom complained that police ceased her vehicle within the early morning of Jan 4 and extorted 27, 000 baht from her in exchange for her freedom.
The checkpoint was in front of the Chinese embassy on Ratchadaphisek Road, that is under the jurisdiction of Huai Khwang law enforcement station.
“The policemen on duty who found the vapouriser did not impound it for examination and prosecution, yet let the tourist who also possessed it keep the checkpoint, ” Pol Lt Style Thiti said.
“Initially they were found to be derelict in their duty… The particular Metropolitan Police Agency has checked proof and witnesses plus ordered decisive disciplinary and criminal actions, ” The MPB chief said.
The bureau was still compiling the evidence, which included see reports and documented confessions by the policemen concerned, plus information about the exact amount of cash involved.
“Existing findings from the investigation are in collection with speculation in news reports. Witnesses are being called to confirm the wrongdoing, how much money given, the person who offered a bribe for that release of the visitor and the officer who seem to took it, inch Pol Lt Style Thiti said.
When the proof was clear, important legal action would be taken. No one would be spared, he mentioned.
Investigators would find out exactly why the visiting actress’s group was held at the checkpoint for such a long time, Pol Lt Style Thiti said.
He mentioned the police helmet digital camera recordings were erased. Forensics would learn if they were manually erased or expired automatically.
There was also footage from City Corridor surveillance cameras, which was not erased, he or she said.
“The MPB must apologise to people for that police failure to strictly follow guidelines and laws…. The particular MPB will keep the public posted when you can find developments in the case, inch Pol Lt Style Thiti said.
Pol Maj Gen Atchayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Regal Thai Police Office, said national police chief Pol Style Damrongsak Kittiprapas had ordered the Bangkok police chief to transfer the chief associated with Huai Khwang place to an inactive position while the investigation continuing.