Thai loan shark mastermind arrested in Kamphaeng Phet sting
Thai police apprehended a woman known as Add, who is reputed to be the mastermind behind a notorious loan shark operation in Kamphaeng Phet. The investigation revealed that she was involved in a pawn scheme involving vehicles, charging exorbitant interest rates.
Borrowers received significantly less money than initially promised and faced threats when they struggled to meet the high-interest payments.
Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan ordered the operation, leading to the arrest of 50 year old Supatra. Her arrest stemmed from a complaint lodged by a victim with the Cyber Police Division 2.
The victim had borrowed 30,000 baht (US$882) from Supatra nearly five months ago, using a pickup truck as collateral.
Despite the loan amount, the victim only received 25,000 baht (US$735) after various deductions, including parking fees and initial interest. The agreed interest rate was a staggering 10% per month, or 120% annually, far exceeding the legal limit of 15% per year, with the principal to be returned within 30 days.
Victims reported that delays in payment led to threats of selling their vehicles, physical harm, and public embarrassment. Despite these threats, borrowers felt compelled to endure due to their initial agreement to pawn their vehicles.
The situation escalated when the victim attempted to repay the principal and interest to reclaim their vehicle, only to find Supatra uncooperative.
Instead of returning the vehicle, she feigned ignorance, prompting the victim to seek assistance from the cyber police. The Cyber Police Division 2 gathered evidence to investigate the loan shark’s activities further.
Subsequent police investigations revealed that Supatra operated her illicit business under the guise of a restaurant. Behind the restaurant, a warehouse served as a storage area for pawned vehicles.
Upon questioning, Supatra admitted to her involvement in the loan shark scheme and led the police to inspect the warehouse. Inside, police discovered a variety of vehicles, including pickup trucks, sedans, SUVs, motorcycles, and even agricultural vehicles, totalling around 20 vehicles.
Supatra was charged with conducting a personal lending business without the appropriate authorisation from the Ministry of Finance, disguising her operations as a pawnshop. This included charging interest rates beyond the legal threshold, reported KhaoSod.
Police have taken Supatra into custody, transferring her to the Kamphaeng Phet Police Station for legal proceedings.
