Five Chonburi police officers were suspended amid accusations they kidnapped innocent people and drug users and held them for ransom.
5 police officers including sub-inspector of Chonburi Provincial Investigation Sub-Division 1, 3 Police Senior Sergeant Major officers, and a Police Sergeant Major officer to temporary duty at Chonburi Provincial Operational Center with no relation to the original positions.
Chonburi provincial police commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Kumpol Leelapraphaporn ordered the five – including two senior sergeant majors – to inactive positions while a special panel investigates allegations from Rawadee Sirapanit, 60, and an 18-year-old identified only as Anna that they were kidnapped and held for more than 90,000 baht in ransom.
Rawadee told Nongprue police that, on March 11, she was at home when her nephew burst into the house, chased by five plainclothes men who claimed to be narcotic suppression police. They showed no identification, but carried weapons.
Once inside the house, they accused Rawadee of having illegal drugs and searched the house, finding her stash of crystal methamphetamine.
Instead of arresting her, they took Rawadee to a house in Nongprue where they held the woman for a day, demanding 50,000 baht for her release and promises they would not charge her for drug possession. Rawadee told them she had only 31,000 baht, so her nephew transferred that amount and she was released.
The account to which the money was transferred belonged to a Wanchai Samunpai, Rawadee told police and the media March 13.
Police also took a report from Anna that she and her drug-abusing boyfriend were taken by the same men and held at the same Nongprue house. The kidnappers demanded 100,000 baht, but they settled on a 60,000-baht payment.
