Four suspects arrested over murder of 4 men in southern Thailand
Police arrested four suspects in connection with the murder of four men whose bodies were found in Juerae Lake and the Kolok River in the southern province of Narathiwat two days ago.
Residents found three dead bodies with gunshot wounds in a sedan truck submerged in Juerae Lake. Then another lifeless body who was also shot dead was found in the Kolok River, nearby the lake, later that day. The police officer believed that they were all murdered due to a drug trafficking-related conflict.
The four deceased individuals have been identified as 27 year old Niheng, 38 year old Muhammad-aliya, 19 year old Aussawe, and 32 year old Mooseng.
KhaoSod reported today that Narathiwat Provincial Police officers arrested four suspects related to the murder case. Two suspects were arrested on Wednesday night, and the other two were apprehended at noon yesterday. Police have also seized weapons, including 9mm and 32mm guns, believed to have been used in the murders.
The Commissioner of the Narathiwat Provincial Police, Anuroot Aimarb, said the four suspects are under interrogation. One of the suspects is allegedly a known hitman with a long criminal history related to drug trafficking.
Anuroot explained that locals and witnesses have been reluctant to provide information to the police because they are worried about their own safety. One witness reported hearing more than 10 gunshots on the night of February 20 in the area.
Anuroot stated that he could not reveal the in-depth investigation information to the public. He said the officers focused on the conflict within the drug trafficking gang and investigated based on forensic evidence.
ORIGINAL STORY: 4 bodies with gunshot wounds found in southern Thailand
Residents in the southern province of Narathiwat found the lifeless bodies of three people with gunshot wounds in a sedan truck submerged in Juerae Lake yesterday. This morning, another dead body was found near the scene. The authorities have reason to believe that the murders are interconnected.
Buketa Police Station received distressing reports from residents who had discovered a sunken car in Juerae Lake, Wang district of Narathiwat, at 4.20pm yesterday. Officers arrived at the scene to find a blue Toyota Yaris sedan with three dead individuals confined to the boot of the vehicle. In the absence of any missing person’s report matching the victims, the authorities decided to conduct an autopsy of the bodies, which were subsequently transferred to the Song Khla Nakarin facility.
The three deceased individuals were later identified as a 27 year old man named Niheng, a 38 year old man named Muhammad-aliya, and a 19 year old man named Aussawe. All three had been shot dead by unidentified guns.
Niheng had four gunshot wounds to his chest, Muhammad-aliya had four gunshot chest wounds, and Aussawe had three gunshot wounds to his chest and neck.
This morning, officers were notified of another dead body in the Kolok River, which is about 20 kilometres from the Juerae Lake. The dead body had a shot wound to his forehead.
The relatives of the dead man contacted police after learning locals had discovered a body. They confirmed the body was that of 32 year old Mooseng who disappeared from a family house four days ago.
A recent report on Channel 3 disclosed that, based on a criminal report filed by the police, three individuals, excluding Aussawe, were linked to drug trafficking.
Law enforcement authorities suspect that the murder was driven by drug-related issues and personal conflicts.
In a case involving more than ten potential suspects, the Commander of the Narathiwat Provincial Police Office, Dirake Chomyong, confirmed that the investigative team is concentrating on unravelling internal conflicts within the drug trafficking syndicate. This involves scrutinizing security camera footage and personal details of the suspects in the vicinity of the crime scene.
The authorities are also interrogating relatives and acquaintances of the victims to acquire additional information that could assist them in uncovering the truth behind the crime.
