Rogue cop with gambling addiction jailed for 50 years for gun theft

A rogue cop with a gambling addiction was sentenced to 270 years in prison for theft and illegal possession of 160 firearms. He will only serve 50 years as allowed under Thai law.

Senior sergeant major Chaowarit Phumkajorn, from Pak Kret Police Station in Nonthaburi province, near Bangkok, was arrested in October in the Isaan province of Nong Khai after reportedly selling 160 police guns to pay off his gambling debts. The investigation concluded yesterday, with 23 suspects arrested and charged for receiving stolen goods, while eight senior officers are set to be punished for dereliction of duty, reported Bangkok Post.

Deputy national police chief, Pol Gen Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn, said the rogue cop’s arrest led to the arrests of 23 others who pawned, sold or bought the guns. Most were security guards for gambling dens and the gamblers themselves. Big Joke said…

“Eight police will be punished for dereliction of duty. They range from former station chiefs who served between 2014-2022 to active inspectors. A committee has been set up to handle the disciplinary investigation.

“As for the stolen firearms, police managed to retrieve 64 but 96 remain unaccounted for. Police believe they were sold in neighbouring countries.

“Sixty-three guns are in the state’s inventory, with one returned to a local station.

“The 2,200-page report will be submitted to the Office of the Attorney General, which will pursue legal action against the 23 suspects.”

Rogue cop Chaowarit Phumkajorn

The rogue cop was arrested as he tried to flee a resort in the Mueng Mhee district of Nong Khai province. He had no guns on him, only a backpack.

Arresting officers revealed they caught the suspect as he waited for a new passport to be processed for a planned to escape to a neighbouring country.

The Deputy Commander of the Provincial Police Region 1, Phananchai Chuenjaitham, reported that Chaowarit was in charge of gun disbursement at Pak Kret Police Station, making it easier for him to steal guns.

Chaowarit amassed a huge gambling debt and to pay it off he stole guns and sold them to random people, gambling friends, and pawnshops for about 20,000 baht each. It was discovered he had been stealing guns for more than five years.

Senior officers did not detect any wrongdoing because the rogue cop covered his tracks, stealing only one or two guns at a time. He created fake documents which revealed that the guns had been allocated to officers on duty.

Chaowarit initially confessed that he committed the crimes alone.