BANGKOK – A Thai woman, 45, was arrested for sending illegal Myanmar migrants to the Central Shrimp Market of Samut Sakhon province, the epicenter of the new COVID-19 wave in the country.
Pol Gen Suwat Jangyodsuk, commissioner of the Royal Thai Police Office, said Mrs Ratree Wechasuwan, aka Jay Phet, was arrested for allegedly running the biggest human-smuggling network supplying illegal Myanmar migrants to the market in Samut Sakhon.
The network was responsible for spreading COVID-19, the police chief said.
According to him, Mrs Ratree worked with Myanmar smugglers and arranged for accommodations for illegal migrants in Thailand. She ordered her Myanmar accomplices to drive illegal migrants to places of accommodations in Kanchanaburi and Samut Sakhon provinces.
Mrs Ratree and three accomplices including Myanmar suspects were arrested. She was detained at the Bang Kwang Central Prison.
Her network was among about 10 human-trafficking networks that police suppressed from Jan 11 to Feb 11. In the suppression campaign, 29 people were arrested for allegedly smuggling migrants and 91 for the illegal accommodation of the aliens. Police also apprehended 396 illegal migrants and seized 22 vehicles used in the crime. (TNA)
