Warrant out for Nonthaburi extortion mastermind

Man suggested as a factor by tourist officer and accomplice charged of collecting bribes from nightspots

Special operations officials stop a Tourist Police Bureau car at a Nonthaburi shopping mall on Thursday night to arrest a tourist police officer accused of taking bribes from entertainment venues in the province. Police are now seeking the person said to be the ringleader of the extortion gang. (Image from Department of Provincial Administration special operations unit Facebook page)
Specific operations officials stop a Tourist Police Bureau car at a Nonthaburi shopping mall upon Thursday night in order to arrest a tourist police officer accused of taking bribes from entertainment venues within the province. Police are now seeking the person said to be the ringleader from the extortion gang. (Image from Department associated with Provincial Administration exclusive operations unit Fb page)

An arrest justify has been issued for that alleged mastermind behind the extortion associated with entertainment venues within Nonthaburi following the arrest of a tourist officer and his accomplice.

The believe, identified only as Suwan, 44, had been implicated by Pol Snr Sgt Maj Phuwamet Hirunwongwaradol plus Manus Suksom after they were arrested on Thursday night. The Nonthaburi provincial court subsequently approved the police request for the criminal arrest warrant, Thai press reported.

Pol Snr Sgt Maj Phuwamet, 38, attached to Tourist Police Division 1, was arrested with Mr Manus in the car park of CentralPlaza Westgate shopping mall right after collecting money from entertainment venues in Bang Yai district on Thursday evening.

The arresting team seized 100, 000 baht in cash, including marked banknotes given to some nightspots simply by police investigators once they received a tip-off about police acquiring bribes.

During questioning, both suspects claimed these people gave the money collected from the entertainment sites to a man identified as “Pae”.

Police extended the investigation and found that Pae had been named Suwan. Then they gathered evidence to find an arrest warrant.

The accused tourist officer has already been relieved associated with his duties plus placed under investigation to get gross disciplinary violations in connection with the racket.

Both suspects are currently free of charge on bail of one million baht each. Relatives put up property title deeds as surety to bail them.

After his release, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Phuwamet submitted a complaint with Bang Yai law enforcement against Narong Tipsiri, chief of the particular operations unit of the Department of Provincial Administration, who directed the arrest operation.

The particular tourist police officer supposed that Mr Narong and his team members acquired forcibly made your pet get out of his vehicle without informing your pet of any fees. He was wounded and his car was damaged during the operation, he claimed.