Thai police crack down on people smuggling gang in Tak
Police officers from the Center for Child, Women’s Protection and Anti-Human Trafficking arrested three suspects on Monday for alleged involvement in international human trafficking in Mae Sot district of Tak province.
“The three suspects, two of whom are Myanmar nationals, are part of the group that has detained victims from Myanmar in Thailand,” said Lieutenant General Surachet Hakphan, assistant to the national police chief. “Police officers are trying to track down the rest of the gang members, which would be seven people.”
Surachet alias “Big Joke” further added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects helped the victims cross the border from Myanmar into Thailand and then extorted up to 120,000 baht in cash from the victims or their relatives. “Those who could not afford the compensation are forced into prostitution or work on fishing boats in Malaysia,” he added.
The three were charged with involvement in human trafficking and money laundering, while police have warned authorities in Myanmar to investigate possible accomplices still in Myanmar.
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