3 cyber police allegedly extorts 30,000 baht from driver with fake registration plate

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) transferred three officers for allegedly extorting 30,000 baht from a Thai driver who used a fake registration plate with his car in the Prathum Thani province near Bangkok.

A Facebook page, Police Network (เครือข่ายเพื่อนตำรวจ), revealed that the page received a complaint from the victim in Prathum Thani province that three officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Division 1 (CCID 1) pretended to be officers from Pathum Thani Provincial Police and kidnapped a suspect for a ransom.

The incident was reported to have occurred in the area under the supervision of Khlong Luang Police Station, so ThaiRath interviewed the Superintendent of the police station, Kiattisak Mitrprasart, about the matter. Kiattisak insisted that the accused officers were not from his team but from CCID 1.

Kiattisak revealed that the victim filed a complaint against the three officers at Khlong Luang Police Station on December 16 after the extortion took place.

According to the victim, officers approached him at a shopping mall and informed him that he was charged for using a fake registration plate with his black Toyota Vios sedan. Officers seized his car and ordered him to withdraw 30,000 baht and put the cash in the car.

Kiattisak stated that the mentioned car was at Khlong Luang Police Station with the money. The three accused police officers claimed that they did not demand the money, but found it in the car during an inspection.

Kiattisak said that he could not reveal much information about the case at this time. Some of the information given by both parties were in line while some other were in conflict. As a result, the three police officers were transferred to work at CCIB headquarters while a special committee was set up to investigate the matter.

Kiattisak added that the victim admitted to using a fake registration plate. So, he would face a penalty of imprisonment from six months to five years and a fine from 10,000 to 100,000 baht according to Section 265 of the Criminal Law: forging certificate of ownership or official document.