Teenage drug addict caught running explicit content ring on Telegram to fund addiction
A teenage drug addict, known as A (pseudonym), who was the admin of a secret group, was arrested for disseminating explicit content over the Telegram messenger. The 16 year old confessed to using the money he made from the group, which has tens of thousands of members, to fund his drug habit and online slot gambling addiction. The expose occurred today.
Tech Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) Police of Region 5, under the command of Police Lieutenant Colonel Kraisri Julapan, yesterday arrested A in possession of a stolen mobile phone and 156 methamphetamine pills. The charges against the teenage drug addict included possessing child pornography for self or others’ sexual pleasure, importing, disseminating, or forwarding computer data of a pornographic nature, and trafficking in category 1 narcotics (methamphetamine) for distribution and consumption.
The case was triggered when TCSD officials came across secret groups on Telegram named VIP.กลุ่มลับแนวเด็ก and กลุ่มเด็ก VIP. These groups, with 10,000 members, were charging for membership and sharing explicit images and videos of minors, both male and female. On investigation, A, a 16 year old, was identified as the group’s admin.
A subsequent court-ordered search exposed incriminating evidence on the teenage drug addict’s mobile phone, including 156 methamphetamine pills, various drug paraphernalia, and a mobile phone used for creating the secret groups. Examination of the device revealed 661 pornographic videos of minors.
In the initial interrogation, the suspect confessed to running the group and charging a membership fee of 100 baht (US$2.75) per person. He admitted to sourcing the explicit images and videos from the Internet to share with group members.
His monthly income from the operation exceeded 10,000 baht (US$275), which he had been doing for several months. The funds were used to buy drugs for personal use and gamble on online slots. Following his confession, further investigations are being prepared to expand the case.
