A Pattaya cop and four police volunteers have been denied bail after being arrested for allegedly kidnapping and extorting an accused drug dealer.
Pol. Capt. Wuthikorn Plodpong, a Pattaya sub-inspector, and the four unnamed volunteers were arrested during a sting operation March 7 by Provincial Police Region 2 officers. Charged with illegal confinement, robbery and extortion, the five were sent to Pattaya Remand Prison and denied bail by the Pattaya Provincial Court.
Region 2 deputy commander Pol. Col. Thitawat Suriyachay said the arrests came after relatives of an arrested drug dealer complained that Wuthikorn led a gang of civilian police volunteers who extorted them for 300,000 baht and stole a Buddhist amulet worth 3 million baht.
The alleged payout came after the unnamed dealer was arrested with 200 methamphetamine tablets. The police gang held the man until they were paid off and let the suspect go free.
During the negotiations, the complaint stated, one of the volunteers took a gold necklace with the amulet. From their home. After negotiating with the volunteer, the gold chain was returned, but not the amulet.
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